


And Everything Goes Back To The Beginning

by Amrywiol



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 02:06:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 82,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4688399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amrywiol/pseuds/Amrywiol
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'd like to know why I had to find out about this group by accident? " Annie Edison, in Episode 101, "Pilot."</p><p>I was in a sad place after the end of Season 6, so for my first ever published fanfic I went back to a happy place with this view of an AU of the first season where that accident didn't happen and Annie didn't join the study group and has to get through Greendale mostly on her own, but with at least one friend to help her (you all know who it is). Originally published on ff.net, I've tidied up some spelling mistakes and grammatical errors but otherwise it's the same story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction to Melancholy

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Community. That's Dan Harmon's sandbox, I just play there when he's not looking. Only the plot and any characters you haven't heard of before are mine.
> 
> I had no idea what to title this story for the longest time, then one day I was listening to the haunting "Hollow Talk" by the Danish band "Choir of Young Believers" and it all slipped into place.
> 
> "Echoes start as a cross in you,  
> Trembling noises that come to soon.  
> Spatial movement which seems to you,  
> Resonating your mask or feud.  
> Hollow talking and hollow girl,  
> Force it up from the root of pain.  
> Never said it was good, never said it was near,  
> Shadow rises and you are here.  
> And then you cut;  
> You cut it out,  
> And everything  
> Goes back to the beginning."

Week 1

Annie Edison arrived at Greendale determined to turn over a new leaf. She was going to do the studying, earn the credits she needed to get the degree that would help put her life plan back on track, but above all she was going to make new friends - friends who had never heard of her past, her time in rehab, of _Annie Adderall_. Friends who would respect her for her intelligence, her kindness, and her willingness to help.

Yes, today was the first day of the rest of her life. And it started here in Spanish class, her first class of the year. Annie walked into the classroom almost ten minutes early to make sure of getting a seat in the centre of the front row and waited for the rest of her classmates to arrive. When the room was almost full, she took out a folded piece of paper from her binder, opened it and read the message inside again, although she knew it by heart -

_Hello,_

_I'm interested in putting together a Spanish Study Group for people who are interested in helping each other learn and in being helped at the same time, and maybe have a bit of fun while doing so! If you are interested in joining such a group, please write your name below mine and pass the paper on._

_Thank you very much and I hope to see you soon!_

_Annie Edison_

Annie tapped the elbow of the boy sitting next to her, flashed him a brilliant smile and asked him to read the letter and pass it on round the class. Barely had it gone on it's way than Annie looked up to see the last stragglers arriving through the door. She felt herself go rigid with shock as all the blood drained from her face as she saw just who was arriving.

_Troy._

_Troy Barnes._

Annie sat upright and pasted a smile on her face as she stared at her high school crush, both hoping and fearing he'd spot her. She saw him stand in the doorway with an easy, confident grin on his face as though giving the room an opportunity to admire him before he sat down. Annie saw his eyes start to scan the room, come to her - and then pass on without the faintest hint of recognition. Annie almost felt something shrivel inside her as he walked past her to take a seat near the back of the room.

"BUENOS DIAS, CHICOS Y CHICAS! I am Senor Chang and I will be teaching you the glories of Espanol!"

 _This must be the teacher_. Annie thought. _I hope he knows what he's doing._

Annie settled down to concentrate on the lesson. Even when her Study Group invite returned to her halfway through she put it in her folder and refused to look at it until the end of class to avoid distracting herself. At the end of the lesson, she took out the invitation and opened it, eager to find out who her first friends were going to be.

The paper was blank. No, worse than that - somebody had taken the trouble to draw a unicorn with a - _thing_ \- instead of a horn on it, and somebody else had written HA! HA! alongside it. Annie suddenly felt tears start to spring up in the corner of her eyes. She put her head down however and filled up her backpack as slowly as she dared, she was determined to be the last one out of class so nobody would see her cry.

 _Welcome to the new school, just like the old school_. She thought bitterly.

XXXXXX

Week 2

Annie was waiting outside the Spanish class gathering her nerves.

_I'm going to talk to him today. I'm going to talk to him today. I'm going to talk to him today…_

"Hi Annie, what are you doing out here?" Said Joelle, Annie's partner for the conversation homework Chang had set. Annie would have been happier to see her if that hadn't been the longest sentence she had spoken since the homework had been set - Annie had eventually given up and done all the work herself and just handed Joelle a script.

"Oh, just waiting for somebody."

"Umm, okay. Seeya." That was more Joelle's range.

 _I'm going to talk_ \- "Oh hi Troy!" She put on a big smile and stepped out in front of him.

"Er, hi?" He put a polite smile on his face. "Sorry, but do I know you?"

Annie deflated slightly, but maintained a brave face. "I was at Riverside with you. We did algebra together, remember?"

"Yeeeaaah… there were a lot of kids?..."

"Annie Edison? I had an… accident and had to leave early."

"Annie?" Troy's face suddenly lit up with recognition. "You're Annie Adderall! The last thing I heard you were in rehab! It's so great to see you out and looking so well!"

Annie felt the ground open up beneath her and try to swallow her up. The worst thing was, she could see he was completely oblivious of all the onlookers suddenly pointing and giggling and was genuinely happy for her. "Nice to see you Annie." He patted her on the arm then turned and walked into the class. Annie summoned up what dignity she could and followed him in.

XXXXXX

"F." Chang pointed at the younger man. "F minus."

Annie along with the rest of the class had watched with growing disbelief as what had supposed to be a 30 second presentation had consumed almost all of the class's hour long slot - she hadn't even got to do hers with Joelle. As she saw the two men get consoled by their friends she had a simple thought -

_If that's a study group maybe I had a narrow escape after all._

Then she saw Troy walk up and join the group as they all left together.

_Oh._

****  
  



	2. Chivalry for Beginners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a lord first meets his lady.

Week 3

Jeff Winger didn't care about anyone, or anything. Well, that's not quite true - at the moment, he cares quite a lot about getting into Britta's pants - but serious stuff? No. And there's no point pointing it out to him, he's not only aware of this, but proud of it - he did not survive a miserable childhood of abandonment and bullying only to ruthlessly reinvent himself as the coolest man in Greendale - no, Colorado - by _caring_. Even Jeff Winger has red lines however, and one of them is anything that brings back memories of the childhood he was so glad to escape. Such as bullies. Which is why he was watching the scene unfolding at the other end of the cafeteria with mounting distaste.

Jeff had been idly sitting alone at his table watching the girls go by while he drank his skinny cappuccino when he heard a shrill cry of "watch where you're going, _nerd_!" followed by a crashing noise. Jeff looked up to see a vaguely familiar dark haired girl in a bright cardigan on her hands and knees desperately trying to gather up a scattered array of books, notes and stationery before the remains of her ruined lunch soaked into them and damaged them beyond repair. All the while a trio of beautiful-on-the-outside types shoved her and laughed as they did it.

Jeff threw the last of his coffee down his throat and strolled across the cafeteria using the walk which he knew perfectly well would have every female under the age of ninety within fifty yards looking at his hips. As he closed in on the group, he flashed up his best come-to-bed-with-me-right-now grin.

"Hello, ladies."

They turned to face him, the target of their mockery forgotten. They instantly threw up their own smiles, one even flicked her hair.

"I see you've met my friend" - he saw a name written in big, glittery letters on the side of a binder - "Annie." He extended a hand to the girl, who, after a moment's hesitation, took it and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

" _She's_ your friend?" The presumed ringleader said in disbelief.

"Oh yes," Jeff said."Let me tell you something about Annie." The girls uneasily noticed that Jeff's smile had changed from seductive to something more like the last thing a particularly succulent tuna would see on the face of a Great White.

"Annie is ferociously smart, a disciplined and driven worker who is always there for her friends and who has survived a horrible childhood and is putting herself through this toilet to get the start she needs to build a real life for herself. You ladies on the other hand" - Jeff was now focussing all his attention on the ringleader - "were queen bitches in high school and are queen bitches here. _In Greendale._

"Congratulations, ladies - this is the high point of your lives. Make the most of it - you will shortly go into the real world, where nobody gives a damn about who was the biggest bitch in high school. In ten years time, Annie will be running a government department or a major corporation while each of you will be struggling to bring up three kids on the irregular maintenance payments you get from three different deadbeat dads and your tips from pole dancing. Walk with me, milady." He offered his arm to a now awestruck Annie who took it and allowed Jeff to lead her away from the now shell-shocked and speechless trio.

Jeff casually walked Annie back to his table through a cafeteria that had gone dead quiet while listening to his takedown.

"They're all looking at us!" Annie whispered.

"No kid, they're looking at me." Jeff replied with a cocky grin on his face.

Jeff sat her down at the table. "Don't move, I'll be back in a couple of minutes." Annie sat stock still, painfully conscious of all the eyes on her. True to his word, Jeff was back shortly after. He slid a chicken sandwich across the table - "I know it's not much of a lunch, but it's pretty much all they've got left." And a takeaway cup of coffee - "you look like a skinny latte sort of girl." She wasn't, but she wasn't going to argue with her benefactor either. Jeff relaxed into his seat with his arm thrown casually across the back, as though he was modelling the shirt he was wearing and watched Annie eat with a lazy smile on his face. _God, but you're vain_. She thought to herself. _Granted, you've got a lot to be vain about - stop that, Annie!_ To distract herself, she asked the question she had been puzzling over since the confrontation.

"How come you know so much about me? We've never so much as talked."

"I don't." Annie's expression said all that was needed about what she thought about that answer.

"You seem like a smart girl, so think carefully about what I said - was there anything there that solely and specifically applied to you, or do you think that something like ninety percent of the people at Greendale would recognise it? Difficult background, working hard to put their lives back on track, loyal to their friends…"

"Oh." Said Annie. "Ninety per cent?"

"You _are_ a smart girl." Jeff said approvingly. "Here's the thing - I'm a lawyer, and a damn good one. A big part of my job is taking obvious and trivial truths and making them sound like the wisdom of the ages - another is taking wild-ass guesses and flat-out lies and convincing you they're the truth because you want to believe me so much."

"Do you know anything at all about me?" Said Annie, turning her ring binder over so that the top cover was facing the table. "How about my name?"

Jeff's eyes flicked over, saw what she'd done with the binder. _Damn, this kid really is smart_. Desperately, he reached into the dregs of his memory and recalled the earlier conversation.

"Erm, Annie?"

"Well done. Annie what?"

"Warbucks?"

Annie rolled her eyes at the feeble joke. "We're in Spanish class together, you know."

She saw puzzlement on Jeff's face, then saw it suddenly clear as realisation dawned. "You're the girl who normally sits in the middle of the front row and who is always first to answer a question even though it drives Chang nuts. Granted, that's not a long journey." Despite herself, Annie smiled at the joke.

"Sorry for not recognising you earlier, but in my defence I do sit about three rows behind you so I don't get a good look at your face, which is entirely my loss. You do have really pretty hair, though." And as easily as that, Annie was blushing again and Jeff had taken back control of the conversation.

"So then - Annie what?"

"Edison, as in the light bulb."

"I bet you hear that joke a lot." She nodded, grimly.

"Well, after all that it's only fair I tell you who I am - "

"You're Jeff Winger, you're in your early thirties and you put together the most dysfunctional study group in the world in order to sleep with a blonde hippy. What I don't get is why a self-proclaimed 'damn good lawyer' is a student at Greendale." And as easily as that, Annie had taken back control.

Jeff was temporarily speechless. _This kid isn't just smart, she's scary_. He decided to tell her the abridged version of the truth.

"There were some accreditation problems with my bachelor's degree. Nobody spotted the issue until I cleared law school and spent several years as the best defence lawyer in Colorado, but then the Bar suspended my law licence until I re-sat my degree. That's why I'm at Greendale."

"Oh, that sucks." She said, with a genuine expression of sadness on her face.

"That's life." Said Jeff. He looked at his watch. "Speaking of studying, but I've got about five minutes to get to my next class." He eased himself out of his seat and picked up his bag, uncharacteristically for him he hesitated for a moment.

"Look, next time you come in here - or anywhere really - if you see me sitting on my own come over and sit with me. The bullies will steer clear of you if they see you're with Jeff Winger."

"Thanks Jeff, but I can look after myself. I don't need a knight in shining armour."

"How about a friend?" _Where the hell did that come from, Winger?_

The young woman's face lit up in the most radiant smile. _Damn, that's where._ "A friend would be nice. Really nice. See you next time Jeff."

"See you next time, Edison." Jeff smiled one last time, turned around and walked out the cafeteria. It took all his willpower not to look back, and he was sure he felt Annie's eyes on him all the way out.

" _Winger's got a girlfriend!_ "

"Shut up, Leonard! I know all about your weekends as Leonora."

"Hey, double the fun."

XXXXXXX

(The next day, Student Lounge)

Annie had hoped to catch Jeff on his own here, what she had not expected was the way her heart fell slightly when she saw him in the corner of the lounge talking to a tall, leggy redhead who was clearly enjoying the experience. Annie watched the redhead flick her hair in that way a certain sort of girl did to show a guy she was interested and write something down on a post it note - _that'll be her phone number_ , Annie thought - before slowly walking away with Jeff openly looking at her ass as she went.

Annie tried to fight down the sense of disappointment she felt. _It's not cheating - he never talked about anything more than being friends with ME after all_. She said to herself.

"Hiya, Edison." Jeff said, snapping her out of her reverie and clearly not caring in the slightest if she'd noticed what had gone down with the redhead. She hadn't noticed him walk across the room.

"Oh, hi Jeff!" Annie replied, as though she'd just noticed him. The rather brittle smile on her face gave the game away somewhat though. "Look, do you have a couple of minutes?"

"For you? Always." Jeff was wearing his ye-gods-but-I'm-gorgeous smile again as he took hold of Annie's elbow and steered her to an empty table.

"What can I do for you?" He said as they took their seats.

"I wanted to give you something to say thank you again for yesterday."

Jeff was about to say she didn't need to when Annie slid a large envelope across the table.

He raised his eyebrows in some curiosity as he opened the envelope.

"They're my notes from Spanish class, I thought they might help."

Jeff started to flick through them just to humour Annie, but he had read enough legal briefs to quickly tell the difference between worthless verbiage and a well written document that conveyed the maximum of information with the maximum of clarity in the minimum amount of space and Annie's notes definitely fell in the latter category. He let out a low whistle of appreciation.

"These are good, Annie - really good."

"Thanks Jeff," Annie was sitting up now, with a genuine smile on her face.

"What's this?" Jeff had worked his way to the bottom of the pile of notes.

"Oh, that's my weekly schedule - my free periods are outlined in green. If you want to talk about future classes try and catch me during one of those, see you around." Annie had been talking very quickly towards the end, and jumped out of her seat and basically ran away before Jeff could hand back the schedule.

"I see your value now, Edison." Was the last thing she heard him say as she departed. It gave her a warm glow for some reason.

 _Why hasn't anybody snapped up that girl for a study partner already?_ Jeff thought to himself. Then he looked more closely at the schedule, and saw how the entire day from 7AM to 6PM had been divided up into 15 minute boxes, with every box accounted for - including toilet breaks, mealtime and "free" time. _Oh, that's why. Sheesh Edison - learn to live a little. Still, free notes..._


	3. Advanced Disney Animation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our hero first encounters his kryptonite, and secrets are shared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The format of these chapters and weeks varies - some are entirely original content and some present what is essentially an AU riff on the episode that corresponds to that week. In the latter case, although I try to make them as standalone as possible some knowledge of the episode in question is desirable. Parts of this chapter are very much in the second category.

Week 4

(Annie doesn't know Troy and Abed well enough to ask them. She's forced to resort to desperate measures to get volunteers for Duncan's experiment.)

" _Pleeeaaaase_ Jeff! I've already got Joelle to come along and I only need one other person and Duncan will let me in his psych class, but I've only got until tomorrow!" Annie had been begging for almost two minutes now and her eyes had been getting bigger and more puppyish by the second. Worse, she had backed him into a corner and there was no one else to take the heat from the eyes.

"No Annie! There is no way I am going to sit in on one of Duncan's ludicrous - " _dammit, are those tears_? Annie's eyes had suddenly got even more luminous.

"Jeff, I really need this credit!" She was touching his elbow now, for crying out loud. "Look, I'll make you a deal - give me your phone number and I'll send you a message when it's safe to leave. You won't have to stay long, I promise."

Jeff suddenly grinned. "Edison - was this all a devious ploy to get my phone number?"

"What? No!" Annie was suddenly blushing furiously. "I mean…"

"It's all right. Give me your phone."

Annie passed it over. Jeff typed in something and pressed "send". His own phone warbled in response. "There - we've got each other's numbers now." He smiled and started to turn away. "See you tomorrow, Edison."

Annie looked down at her phone and read the message he'd sent from it. _**Jeff, missing u already - u r so hot! Annie**_

"JEFF!"

XXXXXX

(Next day)

Annie was as good as her word. After arriving a couple of minutes after the appointed time to minimise any snark Duncan might have felt like handing out - and almost being run down by a furious Chang in the process - he'd been sat down by a visibly relieved Annie in the waiting room and told the start of the experiment had been delayed by five minutes. Jeff contented himself with playing a game on his phone until barely 20 minutes later he felt it vibrate with an incoming message.

_**Experiment is to test patience. Throw a tantrum and leave and you'll have done your bit. AE** _

Jeff waited another two minutes, stood up suddenly and shouted "This is ridiculous!" kicked his chair and stormed out.

_Eighty bucks for sitting in a chair for twenty minutes playing on my phone._ He thought to himself. _It's almost like being a lawyer again_.

His phone vibrated again.

**_PS You're not all that:-)_ **

"Edison!"

XXXXXX

Week 5

(Tuesday)

One of Annie's extra credit voluntary activities was as a member of the School Song Committee the Dean had set up to produce a new Greendale anthem. Annie had commissioned a local songwriter to produce a draft, a guy called Vaughn Miller. Vaughn was nice - he called her mountain flower, though he was very sad at the moment. He'd had a bad break up apparently.

XXXXXX

On Wednesday at four o'clock Jeff was standing outside the library with Annie's schedule in his hand looking at a green block from 4-5PM labelled "Free Time - Study Room B" and a thoughtful expression on his face. _Right, time to see if I can get the kid to do my homework for me_ , he thought to himself. He walked up to the front desk, put on his most charming smile and asked the librarian for directions to Study Room B. She flushed slightly under Jeff's attentive look and told him it was actually in the Learning Resources Center. She pulled out a map of the campus.

"The Learning Resources Center is here," she said, drawing a circle on the map. "If you get lost trying to find it, this is my phone number - " She wrote 'Diane' on it followed by her number - "call me and I'll give directions." Jeff looked at the map, the Learning Resource Center was on the opposite side of the quad from the library and visible from the steps. Jeff threw Diane a brilliant smile, promised to call her if he got lost, and headed out of the library.

(Study Room B)

"Hiya, Edison," Jeff said with a grin as he walked through the door. "Is this inconvenient?"

Annie looked up with a smile of her own. "Not at all Jeff, what can I do for you?"

"Well, other than brightening up my day with that smile -" Annie smiled even wider "- I was hoping for some help with the homework Chang set us."

"Really, Jeff? It's not that difficult - take one regular verb from each of the -er, -ar and -ir types that we haven't covered in class and conjugate it in the past and present tenses."

"Well, you see -" said Jeff. Annie cut him off before he could say any more.

"If you weren't paying any attention in class you won't know what we covered in there?"

Jeff put on his best aren't-I-adorable smile. "It's like this - there's this girl who sits about three rows in front of me with really pretty dark hair which bounces in the most distracting fashion every time she puts her hand up to ask a question. And she does that a lot - so you see it's really your fault, Edison."

Annie tutted at him. "Come over here Jeff and I'll show you what to do."

Twenty minutes later and the homework was essentially done. Rather to Jeff's surprise he had done much of it under Annie's supervision instead of him watching approvingly as she did it for him. Even more to his surprise, he found he didn't mind - _she's almost as good at tutoring slackers as I am at slacking_ Jeff thought to himself. As they finished and Jeff started packing his stuff away he decided to bring up something that had been niggling him.

"Edison, can I ask you a personal question? Feel free to blow me off it it's inappropriate."

"I suppose so Jeff, what is it?"

"Why does Troy keep referring to you as 'Annie Adderall'?"

Annie froze. _Yeah, that's inappropriate_. "Hasn't he told you?" She said through gritted teeth.

"Something about overdosing on pills and running through a plate glass window, but Troy isn't the most reliable of narrators."

Annie came _this_ close to telling him it was none of his business, but then realised that he could probably find out anyway if he wanted to know badly enough - Jeff may be lazy at times, but he wasn't stupid and still had contacts from his lawyer days - so she told him her side of the story instead. About being mercilessly bullied at school, having no friends, retreating into studying and comfort eating as work and food where the only things in her life that didn't hate her. And how when even the studying got too much a family friend who was a doctor recommended Adderall to help her concentrate better. She took it and it worked, she took it again until it stopped working, so she took more and more to make it work again, and so on until one day she felt reality coming apart at the seams and ran through a cafeteria window to get away from it.

Jeff didn't say anything apart from the occasional question to draw her out further while he maintained a carefully concerned expression on his face - if she hadn't been so absorbed in her story Annie might have realised she was being expertly cross-examined by a top courtroom lawyer - she finished off her story by telling of how her mother had tried to stop her going to rehab by threatening to cut her off for disgracing the family name if she did, and when Annie went anyway she carried out her threat, with the result that Annie had seen nothing of her parents since that day.

"You'll probably want to leave now." She ended up saying.

"Why?"

"The coolest guy in Greendale can't afford to be seen with the junkie girl who's so unpopular even her own mom want's nothing to do with her, right?" Said Annie, bitterly.

Jeff was silent for a long moment.

"My dad used to hit me." He said quietly. Annie looked up at him in shock. "He'd come home drunk and start hitting my mom, if I tried to make him stop he'd hit me instead. If I tried to hide, he'd come looking for me after he got bored hitting mom and hit me anyway. When my parents got divorced he went to court and demanded no custody rights whatsoever - he didn't want to see me again. At the end of the trial, I watched my mom's divorce lawyer climb into a fancy car and drive away - it was that day I decided I wanted to be a lawyer, to be the guy who gets to drive away."

"Jeff, you don't have to -"

Jeff ignored her. "So Annie Edison, junkie girl with no friends, if I walked out because you had a crappy childhood what would that say about me?"

Annie had no idea what to say, so instead she reached across the table and took hold of Jeff's hand. He didn't look at her, but did turn his hand so Annie got a better grip. She squeezed as hard as she could. "And besides," said Jeff with a wry smile on his face, "who would I get to do my homework for me?" Despite everything, Annie choked out a laugh.

Jeff stood up.

"C'mon," he said. "Let's go to the cafeteria. I'll buy you a coffee and we can spend half an hour talking about stuff that doesn't suck."

"So long as it's not a skinny latte." Said Annie. "I hate that stuff - far too much milk and not enough coffee."

Jeff chuckled. "Deal." He said.

XXXXXX

(Britta has confessed to cheating on one of Chang's tests. Jeff has offered to defend her in a "Greendale Court" disciplinary hearing.)

On Thursday, Annie got a text. **_Want to see me be a lawyer? Borchert Hall 11AM. PS Don't scream. JW_**

Annie snuck in through a side entrance and watched proceedings from the stands. She was glad Jeff's blonde friend got off, though she thought the whole trial was a very… Greendale experience. And Jeff looked nice in a suit. _Really_ nice.

XXXXXX

(Friday, Study Room F)

"...did you see the expression on Chang's face when Annie Adderall put her hand up again -" Troy said.

"Stop that, Troy." Jeff didn't look up from his phone.

"Er, stop what Jeff?"

Jeff put his phone down and looked straight at the younger man. "Her name is Annie Edison, or just Annie, nothing else. Look, you're a great guy and a really good friend, but if you don't stop calling her _that_ right now you and I are going to have issues."

The rest of the study group looked at Jeff in shocked silence.

"Since when did you care about anything other than hair product?" Britta eventually blurted out.

"Ooh, plot twist." Abed said immediately after. Jeff never took his eyes off Troy.

Sorry," the younger man said. "You know I didn't mean anything by it, right?"

"Sure Troy, just remember in future that's all."

"Will do Jeff."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a strange chapter to write. The middle section was not supposed to be anything more than Jeff exploiting Annie to get his homework done, but as I was writing it the stuff about their childhoods basically insisted on being written and the chapter never felt right until it was. I hope it doesn't seem out of place.


	4. Anatomy of Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our leading couple have their first falling out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps 80% of this chapter is basically an AU version of the Jeff/Annie elements of "Football, Feminism, and You" - it's such a perfect J/A episode (especially as it included their first major fight) that I had to do a version of it.

Week 6

Annie refused to call Joelle and Marcia her study group, it seemed too grand a name for three friends who met four times a week to share notes and help each other with their homework and talk about their lives. Well, three people who met four times a week to share Annie's notes and listen to Marcia talk about her life, anyway. Annie fought down the somewhat sad feeling that it seemed the only people at Greendale who were willing to spare the time of the day for her were those who had worked out she could be exploited for assistance with class work and focused instead on listening with increasing horror as Marcia wound up her latest anecdote.

"...and then I said okay then, but you have to wash it first!" Marcia collapsed into hoots of laughter.

"So Annie, how are things going with Troy?" Annie knew that if Joelle had been provoked into producing a full sentence she must have been as shocked by Marcia's tale as she was, but she was grateful for the chance to share her news nonetheless.

"He's agreed to let me do a study session with him!" Only Annie could make a study session sound more exciting than a date. "I'm going to be helping him revise for tomorrow's astronomy test at lunchtime!"

"Yougogirl." That was more Joelle's style.

XXXXXX

(Lunchtime in the cafeteria, Annie is trying to teach Troy some basic astronomy and flirt at the same time, it's not proving easy.)

"What's the closest planet to Earth?"

"Erm, Planet Hollywood?" Annie put on her best fake smile and giggle.

"That's not the right answer - it's Venus - but it shows how much fun astronomy can be!"

"Now, what does a star turn into after it collapses?"

"A movie of the week." Jeff had walked up to the table.

"Hi Edison. Hey Troy, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"We're studying Jeff, so Troy's busy."

"Well, the galaxy's not going anywhere. Look, I'll bring him back."

Troy didn't even turn back to acknowledge Annie before getting up and going off with Jeff, and Annie's last remark died unsaid on her lips.

"Do you ever miss being a quarterback, Troy?" She heard Jeff say as he led Troy away. Neither of them noticed the quietly desolate expression that fell over Annie's face.

XXXXXX

(Annie's been waiting at her table in the cafeteria for an hour when Troy comes back, pumped up and chanting their old high school fight song. Annie is dismayed by the change in him.)

"Troy! Stop! Don't become this person again!" Annie pleaded. "This isn't the real you! This is the arrogant jock that totally ignored the only people that truly liked him for non-superficial reasons but weren't allowed to say anything because their parents are bigots!" Annie stopped for a moment as she suddenly realised she was saying too much. Troy didn't notice.

"Football is bad for you, Troy!"

"Yeah, Jeff said you'd say that." Troy turned away and strutted out of the cafeteria.

"Jeff - what now?"

" Troy! Troy, Troy, Troy. That's my name…"

Annie was livid. _Winger? What the hell?_

XXXXXX

Jeff was walking down a pathway when five feet three inches of pure rage in a mustard yellow cardigan leapt out of a bush at him.

"How much did the Dean pay you to make Troy play football?"

Jeff was somewhat stunned by Annie's ambush. "I'm not having a conversation with someone who emerges from a bush!"

"Because I'm right?"

"No, because I'm not in a commercial for breakfast cereal. Look, I'm sorry Annie but the dean has pictures of me, okay? Horrible pictures of me attending his school."

"And for that you'd convince Troy to flush his life down football's toilet again? You really are the most selfish person alive! And all that is going to end right now, because I'm telling him what kind of friend you really are!"

Jeff had had enough. "Maybe you should tell him you're hopelessly in love with him." He snapped back. Annie gasped in shock.

"High School must have been tough, huh? Waiting for a superstar to notice you. But here, here he's all alone, and he needs so much help! Just how many of his classes have you managed to enrol in Annie, are you freaking him out yet? Or is it just that the important thing is that you are there for him, that you are the only one there for him? And you don't really care what he wants just as long as you don't have to share him with the rest of the world. Because, really, you are just as selfish as I am. You're just not as good at it yet."

While Jeff talked, Annie's expression went from outrage to shock and she was now on the brink of tears.

"You're right. I could never be as good as you. Probably because I actually care."

"Profound, but technically meaningless - "

"I thought we were friends, Jeff!" Annie said in a heartbroken tone of voice as she turned around and stomped away.

"Annie, we - don't do that thing that women do where they walk away and make the guy feel like crap, because it won't happen! Yeah!"Jeff's voice and face fell."Damn it."

XXXXXX

Marcia had been enjoying watching the hackeysack guys playing when she saw Annie storm across the Quad. She briefly considered pretending not to notice, but then she saw that Annie was crying her eyes out. _Oh, crap_. She thought, as she got up and followed Annie into the Learning Resource Center and down to Study Room B. Annie looked up as Marcia opened the door, she was still crying her eyes out.

"Why do we inflict so much pain on ourselves for men?"

Marcia was flummoxed for an answer - she certainly never did - "...erm?"

Annie didn't wait for an answer. "I've been infatuated with Troy, now he's joining football. Now he'll have his pick of the litter and I'll never get to be with him!"

"Oh screw him Annie! Or not, as the case may be." Annie gasped with shock at Marcia's comment, but at least it distracted her from her tears. "Look - there are guys out there that would kill to be with you, and if Troy isn't one of them, that's his loss, not yours! What about that other guy you hang around with, the one with the forehead and abs?"

Annie's expression crumbled again. "Jeff? He's the one who talked Troy into it!"

"Well, they're both douches then! Look Annie - take this from someone who has been round the block a few times, but there are guys who will like you, guys who will ignore you, and guys who will pretend to like you just so they can use you - but there are no guys who are worth crying your eyes out in a windowless study room over!"

Annie sat up straight, and wiped her eyes one last time. "You're right Marcia - I'm a strong, independent woman and I don't need a man to validate myself. I can do this, I can let him go!"

"You go girl," Marcia smiled.

XXXXXX

(That evening)

Jeff Winger was standing outside the pep rally, feeling uncharacteristically humble and reflective. The fight with Annie had disturbed him more than he would have let on, and he had tracked Troy down to try and talk him out of playing only for Troy to turn the tables on him with a Winger speech of his own. Troy had talked about how Greendale had given him the freedom to play football for the pure love of the game, without pressure and expectations, and that perhaps Jeff too could learn to accept where he was and draw satisfaction from the space to breathe Greendale could give him.

Thus Jeff was staring out into the darkness, not thinking any particularly profound thoughts but drawing some comfort from the silence when he saw a familiar figure in mustard yellow emerge out of the darkness carrying a large poster.

Annie smiled a somewhat cautious smile. "I've decided to support Troy." She showed Jeff her poster, lots of pink and glitter with DEPLOY TROY prominently written across the middle.

"They deploy things in football, right? I went for rhyme over clarity."

Jeff felt absurdly relieved to see her. "Look, I'm, uh, I'm really sorry about before. I just think we were both wrong."

Annie wasn't going to let him off that easily.

"Really? Because I'm an 18-year-old girl, and you made me cry in public."

_Sometimes it was easier just to surrender_ , Jeff thought. "Okay, maybe I was a little more wrong. I should grow up and make peace with being here. I mean, it's not like Greendale's going to kill me or anything. Look, can we make a promise to never fight again over something so stupid?"

"No." Said Annie, somewhat to Jeff's surprise. "I'm sure we'll fight again, but I am prepared to promise to still be friends afterwards if you are." She gave a proper smile this time.

"Deal." Jeff smiled back. "Holy crap!"

Annie turned around to see what had shocked Jeff, saw a strange, ghostly figure emerge out of the shadows, screamed in fear and instinctively jumped to Jeff's side. With the same instinct, Jeff put a protective arm around her shoulders.

Pierce and the dean emerged from the shadows alongside the eerie figure.

"Hey," said Pierce. "Say hello to our ethnically neutral mascot - the Greendale human being. The costume makes it difficult for him to see."

The strange figure mumbled incoherently.

"He can't move his mouth either," said the dean. "But take it from me, that's human for 'hello.'"

"Let's get you into the pep rally!" The dean shouted into the "human being's" ear, who flinched visibly.

"Great idea!" Said Pierce, as he and the dean grabbed hold of the mascot's arms and led him up the steps. "Let's do it! we've solved racism. What's next?"

They kept talking as they disappeared into the building.

Jeff and Annie had separated as the trio passed them and they turned to watch them go inside, now they were looking at each other with 'did you just see that too, or am I going mad?' expressions on their faces.

Jeff spoke first."This has the potential to be a uniquely Greendale experience."

He offered his arm to Annie."Milady?"

Annie smiled at him and took his arm. "Milord." Together they walked into the building arm in arm. When they reached the door, Jeff solemnly bowed and held it open for Annie, who did a little curtsey in return and walked through it.

 


	5. Syncretism for Beginners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our heroine learns the value of having friends and our hero learns how to be one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning - this is a somewhat darker themed chapter than previous ones (but then it is the Halloween Special…). We'll be back to the lighter stuff with the next chapter.

Week 7

(Lacking study group friends, Annie lacks the confidence to set up a Halloween party. Jeff strikes out with Slater and doesn't find out about the faculty party.)

Study Room B

Annie's last session of the week with Marcia and Joelle was wrapping up.

"So," said Marcia. "Are you guys coming to my Halloween party? There's going to be boys there. And beer," she practically whispered.

"Sure," said Joelle. "Why not?"

"What about you Annie?"

"Oh, I don't know Marcia. Beer and boys? That doesn't sound very safe."

Marcia had a big smile on her face. "Of course it is! It's going to be fun. When was the last time you let your hair down and just had fun, Annie?"

_Yes Annie, when was the last time?_ She asked herself. _Nobody's invited YOU to a party since Suzie Brown's 12th birthday - and she was made to do it by her mother._

Annie sat up straight and put a smile on her face. "You're right, Marcia. Count me in!"

XXXXXX

Study Room F

"So, what's everybody doing for Halloween?" said Pierce. "I'll be having a seance with a trio of sexy -"

"I'll be working," said Britta, cutting in desperately. "It's one of the busiest nights of the year at the bar and my boss wants a full turnout."

"Halloween is the devil's work." Said Shirley. "I'll be at church praying for all the lost souls being led astray."

"I'm hosting a film party." Said Abed. "we'll be watching all of the Halloween films in order until there's nobody left awake. Everybody's welcome."

"Cool!" Said Troy. "Count me in." The boys did their signature handshake.

"So brown Jamie Lee Curtis is going to have a film festival dedicated to white Jamie Lee Curtis?" Said Jeff. "That's very meta."

Britta rolled her eyes. "So what are you doing then Jeff?"

"What I do every year." Said Jeff. "Hit L Street, find a slutty witch and take her back to my place to practice some _very_ sympathetic magic." He smirked as the rest of the room groaned.

XXXXXX

(Saturday night, Halloween)

Annie checked the number on the door matched the one she'd been given by Marcia, even though the noise coming from behind it made it clear there was a party in full swing. She took a firm grip on the big bag of chips she'd bought as an offering, and knocked on the door. She had to knock twice more before Marcia opened it.

"Hi Annie! Glad you made it - nice mask and cape - just go through and put the chips in the kitchen." Marcia was wearing a very short witch's costume which would have been sexier if she'd been a few sizes smaller, though Annie suspected the amount of cleavage on display would distract the boys from imperfections elsewhere.

Annie weaved her way through the main lounge of the house and saw Joelle had already arrived - smile and wave - and was sitting on a couch talking to some boy. She found the kitchen leading off the back of the lounge and saw there were already three boys and two girls in there. Annie dropped her chips off and turned to leave, thinking she could go and sit with Joelle.

"Hi." Somebody said. "I haven't seen you around before, what's your name?"

Annie turned around and saw one of the boys smiling at her. He was about half a head taller than her, with sandy blond hair and blue eyes and wearing what looked like a cowboy costume.

"Hi, I'm Annie," she smiled back. "I'm a friend of Marcia's." His smile widened, Annie thought it made him look cute. "Well Annie friend of Marcia's, I'm Dave and can I get you something to drink? There's beer, wine, fruit punch…"

Annie thought the fruit punch sounded safest, so she asked for some of that. Dave poured a ladle full into a plastic cup and gave it to Annie. She took a sip of it.

"This is nice," in truth the taste was sharper than she expected and she suspected there was more than just fruit in it, but she took another sip anyway. She found she wanted to keep Dave talking to her, so she asked him a question.

"What's your outfit? Is it a cowboy?" He looked pained for a moment.

"A lot of people make that mistake, but it's actually Captain Reynolds from 'Firefly'."

"Oh I'm sorry! I've heard of the show, but never seen it."

"You should. What about you? Is that some sort of sexy skeleton get up?"

Annie took another sip of her fruit punch, to her surprise it was almost half gone and she was starting to feel a bit giddy. "It's a skeleton anyway, the other bit is a matter of opinion." She said slightly sadly. "Is it just me, or is it a bit warm in here?"

"It's probably your cloak." Dave said. "There's a pile of coats on the table by the back door, just throw it on there and come back. I'll wait for you here." He smiled again.

Annie had kept her cloak on because she was worried her skin tight skeleton suit might be going too far, but most of the other girls - and a few of the guys - at the party were showing far more skin than she was so she had no qualms about taking it off and adding it to the growing pile of coats. She kept hold of her small purse which she'd decorated with a spider and some web though.

She weaved her way back to the kitchen, where she found Dave waiting for her as he'd promised. He handed her back her cup of punch, she barely noticed it seemed to have filled itself up again.

XXXXXX

Jeff took one final look in the mirror and adjusted the hang of his jacket by a minute fraction. _Perfect, as always_. He smiled to himself and slipped out the door of his condo, went to his Lexus and drove into the centre of Greendale where he parked and walked the last hundred yards to L Street. He decided on the Red Door first - they usually had a policy of no single guys on a Saturday night, but he'd taken the trouble to get to know the doorman (old cop's - and lawyer's - trick, always befriend the little people who get ignored but who see everything) and he let Jeff in with a smile and a "Nice to see you again, Mr Winger."

"And you, Doug. How's business tonight?"

The doorman smiled. "For you? Target rich environment." Doug was a former marine, and still had the muscles. Jeff laughed easily and shook Doug's hand, palming him a ten dollar bill as he did so. The tip disappeared without anyone else seeing it. Jeff bid him farewell and went into the bar.

XXXXXX

Annie felt _amazing_. She took another slug of her fruit punch, handed the almost empty cup to Dave and climbed onto the table - she'd somehow found herself playing "truth or dare" with him and the others in the kitchen and her dare had been to climb on the table in the main room and dance for 30 seconds. It felt like the entire party was cheering as she jiggled unsteadily to "Devil Woman" - she'd never felt so popular in her life. As her time was up she tried to climb down, but suddenly her legs wouldn't support her and she fell. She giggled happily as Dave caught her, set her on the ground and gave her back her full cup of fruit punch.

XXXXXX

Jeff had made his way to the bar and ordered the lightest beer they had - he was planning the sort of night that would require a clear head. A blonde sidled up next to him and ordered a Cuba Libre. Jeff took a look at her out of the corner of his eye - black dress, stockings and heels and a small pointy hat perched on the back of her head with a jewelled broach in the shape of a cat pinned just below her neckline. _Slutty witch_ , he thought to himself. _You'll do._

"Did you know that was the only cocktail to be invented by a president of the United States?" He said to her with his usual lazy smile on his face.

She turned to face him in some surprise, took one look at him and smiled back. "Really?"

"Yup. Teddy Roosevelt, when he was fighting in Cuba. The drink was so popular they carved his face into Mount Rushmore. Hi, I'm Jeff." He held out his hand.

"Chantelle." She replied with a broad smile and shaking his hand. And Jeff was on his way.

XXXXXX

Marcia was having a good time - a really good time. So good, she almost didn't notice Dave basically carrying Annie towards the stairs. But she did, and she couldn't shake a really bad feeling about what she saw so she kissed - Glen, she thought he said his name was - one last time and made some excuse about needing the little girl's room. She followed Dave up the stairs, saw him weave his way through the people on the landing and push open a bedroom door. Marcia grabbed his elbow.

"What are you doing with Annie, Dave?"

"She's flaked out. She needs somewhere dark and quiet."

"That's nice of you, I'll take it from here."

"No, I've got it."

"Dave - put her down."

"Dave dropped all attempts at being polite. "Run along fat girl - the grown ups want to play."

Marcia turned as though intimidated, then clenched her fist and pivoted back again, hitting Dave square on the nose with as much force as she could muster. Annie fell to the ground as he rocked backward.

" _WHAT THE HELL_?" Dave cried. He put one hand to his face, when it came away bloody he clenched his own fists and stepped towards Marcia.

A meaty hand landed on his arm before he could finish his move.

"I think you need to leave, buddy." One of the guys on the landing who'd been watching the whole thing had stepped in.

"Let me - aaargh!" Dave screamed suddenly as he was put in a vicious arm lock and pushed towards the stairs.

"Thanks, Jack." Marcia smiled at the new guy.

"Look after your friend, Marcie." Jack replied.

Marcia looked down at Annie, and saw she hadn't moved since being dropped. Her face was deathly pale and she barely seemed to be awake. Marcia slapped her - hard - and barely got a mumbled "...waah?" for her pains. _This isn't good. This isn't good at all._

Marcia grabbed Annie's bag, took out her phone and scrolled down the contact list. It wasn't a long one, but Marcia hit the dial button on the first name she recognised.

XXXXXX

Jeff had just finished telling Chantelle a scurrilous anecdote from his days at the law firm - he had neglected to mention that he no longer worked there - when his phone rang. He opened it up, saw "Annie" flash up on the caller ID and hit the button to hang up.

"Now where was I?" He said. The phone rang again, he hung up again.

"Who was that?" Chantelle said.

"My kid sister, probably having a makeup crisis - " his phone rang a third time.

"I'm sorry, I think I'm going to have to take this."

He turned away and hit the connect button. "Edison? What the hell -"

" _Jeff - this is Marcia, Annie's friend. She's in real trouble_."

Jeff probably set some sort of record for crossing Greendale that day. After hearing what Marcia had to say he said something about a family emergency and ran out of the bar, back to his car and did the six minute drive to the address Marcia gave him in three. Less than ten minutes after answering his phone he was hammering on the door. It was opened by a big man who looked like he was spoiling for a fight, when he saw Jeff however he relaxed and nodded. "She's upstairs," he said. He took the stairs three at a time, scattering drunken college kids in all directions. A girl - Marcia he presumed - was kneeling at the top of the stairs supporting Annie's head in her lap.

"Jeff - " she said.

Jeff cut her off. "I'm taking her now."

He picked Annie up in his arms, she was completely out of it and her breath reeked of booze. "Where's the bathroom?" Marcia pointed at a door. Jeff had his hands full with Annie, so he kicked it open. There were three people inside, smoking pot. "Get out. Now."

They took one look at the expression on Jeff's face and fled. He lay Annie down on the floor next to the bath. "You" - he pointed to Marcia - "get a bottle of water and some of whatever she's been drinking. You" - he pointed to the big guy who'd opened the door and followed him upstairs - "get the windows open. The last thing she needs is pot fumes on top of whatever crap is inside her."

Jack nodded and opened the windows. Jeff took off his jacket and passed it to Jack, "hold this - don't crease it - it's Armani." He rolled up his sleeves. "And stand back. This isn't going to be pretty."

Jeff knelt down next to Annie and turned her over so her head was hanging over the edge of the bath. With one hand, he grabbed hold of Annie's hair and lifted her head up slightly while the other was used to open her mouth and then Jeff stuck two fingers down her throat as far as they would go. Jeff easily held Annie still against her desperate struggles, but he removed his fingers when the convulsions started and Annie began to vomit up the entire contents of her stomach.

By the time she'd finished, Annie was curled up in a ball and shivering. Marcia had returned, so Jeff gave Annie the bottle of water and told her to try to drink it. She took it, but Jeff honestly wasn't sure how much she was capable of understanding.

Jeff took the fruit punch Marcia was also carrying and took one swig of it, grimaced and spat it out. "Bloody hell - that's almost neat rum! If you're letting eighteen year old girls drink that by the cupful no wonder Annie's passed out!"

Marcia had gone white as a sheet. "It wasn't like that at the start of the night." She said.

"So someone's been spiking it, then?" Said Jeff. He was barely holding his temper in as he gently bent down to pick up Annie. He stood up holding her in his arms and turned again to face Marcia.

"Look, I am going to do you a very big favour because you did the right thing calling me so I am not going to tell anybody else about this so long as you flush that punch and start handing out bottles of water to anybody who looks like they've had too much." Marcia nodded. "But rest assured - you and I _will_ be having a talk in school next week."

Jeff walked out of the bathroom with Annie in his arms and carried her carefully downstairs. He had just reached the front door when the big guy - Jack, Jeff had heard his name was - caught up with him.

"Look," said Jack. "I understand you're upset about what happened to your girlfriend -" Jeff started, but didn't correct him "- but don't take it out on Marcie. She's the only reason this didn't go a lot worse for her - she spotted the creep who got her drunk as he was dragging your girl to a bedroom and broke his nose when he tried to get Marcie to back off. She's one of the good guys. And don't forget this." He laid Jeff's jacket on top of Annie where she was lying in Jeff's arms.

"Thanks, I'll bear that in mind."Jeff grated out. "Now if you'll excuse me." He started walking to his car. When he got there, he carefully propped Annie against the side, put his jacket on and unlocked the car door. Then he put Annie in the passenger seat and fastened the belt before getting in the driver side, started the car up and headed - slowly, this time - back to his condo.

Annie was unconscious most of the way back, only once did she wake up enough to try talking.

"Jeff, whatchya doin' at Marcia's party?"

"Annie, you're not at Marcia's party anymore. You drank something that didn't agree with you and Marcia asked me to take you home."

"Thanks Jeff. Your'a good frien'."

She drifted back into unconsciousness shortly after, and was well away when they finally arrived back at Jeff's place. Jeff picked her up again, locked his car and carried her inside the condo. She was still fast asleep, so Jeff laid her on his bed as she was and pulled his soft, cotton sheets over her, fetched a big glass of water and put in on the bedside table in case she woke up in the night. Then he took a spare blanket and a pillow out of the cupboard, looked at Annie fast asleep in his bed one last time and allowed a soft smile to spread across his face. He closed the door on her, made a bed on his couch, brushed his teeth and then went to sleep.

XXXXXX

Week 8

The following morning, Annie was woken up by sunlight streaming in through the bedroom window. The first thing she noticed was the glass of water on the bedside table, which she grabbed and drained in a single gulp. The second thing she noticed was that she had not the faintest idea where she was. She sat up in shock as she realised she had never seen this bedroom before in her life - other than clearly being large and expensive, she had no idea at all who it belonged to. A horrible thought flooded her mind, and she threw off the bedsheets. To her immense relief, she was still wearing her costume from the night before and it still seemed to be intact.

_At least I haven't been_ \- she refused to complete the thought.

_I think._

Then she noticed the smell - fresh coffee, gradually percolating through from the main apartment. Curiosity slowly overcame her fear, and she tiptoed to the bedroom door and cracked it open, peering round the edge. She gasped with relief as she saw a familiar figure sitting at the dining table drinking a coffee and reading a newspaper.

"So, Sleeping Beauty has awoken." Jeff said with a smile on his face.

Jeff, how the hell did I get here - ow!" Annie's head suddenly felt like it wanted to split apart.

"You got drunk at Marcia's party - as in flat out, comatose drunk - and she called me to come and collect you. I don't know where you live so I brought you back here, and in case you're wondering I slept on the couch last night." Annie had been, but didn't want to admit that to Jeff so she was grateful he'd volunteered the information.

"Now, have some of this." He'd walked over to the kitchen while he was talking and poured out a cup of coffee and a glass of fresh orange juice. "Vitamin C and caffeine, that's what you need." Annie took a seat at the table, chugged down the orange juice and began sipping the coffee.

Jeff went into the bedroom and re-emerged a couple of minutes later with a selection of t-shirts, shorts and exercise trousers. "You'll probably want to change - what you've got on isn't exactly Sunday best - but I don't have anything remotely your size, though you're welcome to try." He said, offering her the clothes. "If you want to have a shower too, the bathroom's over there and I can get on with breakfast while you sort yourself out, there are towels and soap in the cupboard."

Annie thanked Jeff, drained her coffee and went to the bathroom where she locked the door and stripped off her skeleton suit. Now that she knew she was at Jeff's she was no longer seriously concerned anything bad had happened in the night, but she was still relieved to see her underwear was undisturbed. She put her panties in the sink to soak with some soap then climbed in the shower and turned the temperature up as hot as she could stand and proceeded to revel in the sensation of a really good power shower pounding her body.

When she finished, she wrapped herself up in a towel and used Jeff's hairdryer - a seriously expensive model - to dry her hair and her underwear. Then she sorted through the clothes he'd offered her, the trousers were hopelessly long and his t-shirts were almost big enough to pass for an Annie-sized dress. She did however find a pair of shorts which were anything but short on her - they came down to her knees - but did at least have a drawstring she could pull tight. She paired these up with one of Jeff's t-shirts and had a look at the completed effect in a mirror. _I look like a twelve year old who's borrowed her big brother's clothes._ She thought with dismay. _Jeff's going to think I look ridiculous_. She dismissed the part of her that wondered exactly why she cared that Jeff saw her as a grown up as a side effect of all the alcohol she'd drunk. Still, she couldn't hide in the bathroom forever, so she opened the door and crept out.

Jeff caught sight of her. She swore his face lit up with an expression of extreme amusement.

"Oh no - I look ridiculous, don't I?"

Jeff's smile got even wider. "You look adorable Edison, now sit down."

_Adorable! He really does think I look like a kid sister._

_Crap._

Annie sat down at the breakfast bar opposite Jeff. He handed her a plate of scrambled egg whites on toast made from granary bread. He put a similar plate down where he was sitting, gave Annie another orange juice and topped up both of their coffee mugs. Annie suddenly realised she was ravenously hungry and demolished the whole meal in a matter of moments. Jeff watched this performance with a raised eyebrow and without saying a word put some more bread in the toaster and a pot of organic honey on the table.

Annie was starting to feel normal by the time she demolished this batch of toast too, so she asked the question that had been haunting her.

"Jeff, just what exactly happened last night?"

"I put on my best shirt, jacket and designer jeans then headed down to L Street where I was on the verge of scoring with a seriously hot blonde when I got distracted."

"Jeeeefffff…."

"The Disney eyes are malfunctioning Edison, it must be the hangover."

Annie was getting to know Jeff well enough that she was starting to suspect what was going on - Mr too-cool-to-care didn't want to have a conversation about him actually _caring_ , but she wasn't going to let him get away with it. "Jeff! I'm serious - what happened? I can't remember a thing from shortly after arriving at Marcia's and that scares me."

Jeff sighed, but it wasn't as if he hadn't spent most of the time since waking up thinking about what it was safe to tell Annie.

"Some douchebag was spiking your drink. You ended up drinking far more than you thought and passed out. Marcia spotted what was going on, had the douchebag thrown out then called me. I collected you, brought you back here, and the rest you know."

Annie was dredging her memory. "Dave? Why would he do that? - Actually forget that, I'm not that naive." She said grimly, remembering the thoughts that had gone through her head when she woke up.

"I never got his name," Jeff said. "But… yes. Probably something like that. But the important thing to remember is that nothing happened or got close to happening. Your friends looked after you and kept you safe."

Annie actually smiled at that. "I've never really had friends like that before."

_Oh you poor kid_ , Jeff thought to himself.

"It's nice." Annie finished as Jeff topped up their coffee mugs.

"Oh no!" Annie was feeling another memory come back. "I think I may have danced on a table at one point…"

Jeff actually did laugh at this. "Sweet little Annie Edison, table dancing for an audience? Say it ain't so!"

Annie's face was buried in her arms on the table. "Stop it Jeff - and you were doing so well too!"

"Sorry Edison." But Annie could tell he was still smiling even though she couldn't see him.

She straightened up again and tried to put on her formidable face. It didn't stick, sliding into an embarrassed smile instead. The conversation drifted off into a comfortable silence as they finished off Jeff's coffee and he took the dishes away to load them in the dishwasher. Annie watched Jeff perform the routine domestic task with an odd feeling of… contentment, she thought it was. Almost as if Jeff was the last guy in the world to do something as mundane as wash his own dishes and how seeing him do it humanised him somehow.

"A penny for them, Edison." She hadn't noticed him turn around.

"Oh, just mildly surprised to see you doing your own housework. I kind of thought you'd have a hot maid for that sort of thing." She smiled to show she wasn't being serious.

"It's her day off." Jeff smiled back at her.

Annie went serious again.

"So, are you going to take me back to collect my car?"

"No." Said Jeff. He ignored Annie's surprised expression and carried on speaking. "Take it from a lawyer who specialised in DUI cases, but the amount of alcohol you took on board last night would need more than twelve hours to clear your system - you'd probably still fail a breath test if you took one now. You're going to spend a couple of hours relaxing - you can watch trashy TV on my cable or have another nap if you wish - then have some lunch, and then we'll take you back to your car."

"Oh! Umm, okay." Annie wasn't used to Jeff telling her what to do - their study sessions usually worked the other way round.

Jeff passed her the remote for the TV. "I've got some work to do, so knock yourself out Edison."

Annie curled up on the sofa in front of the TV, flicked through some channels and finally settled on a wildlife documentary as sufficiently grown up so that Jeff wouldn't think of her as a kid again while not requiring much concentration in case she dozed off. She didn't think she would, but when she blinked once and saw the programme change to a car show after she opened her eyes again she realised almost an hour had passed. She sat up, stretched and saw Jeff was in the back of the lounge stacking boxes.

"What's happening Jeff?" She said, pointing at the boxes.

"Nothing much, I just have to move some stuff into storage."

"Is everything okay?"

Jeff looked at Annie, briefly considered trying to deflect her or come up with a lie, but thought how the next five minutes would go - more questions, Disney eyes, disappointment, and finally the truth to make the disappointment go away - so he decided to cut out the hassle and give her the truth straight away.

"I've got until Tuesday to pay a three month backlog on service charges on this place or I lose it. I don't have three months worth of cash, so I'm packing. Virtually all my savings from when I was a lawyer are tied up in this condo, I have virtually no actual cash - once it's sold I'll be fine again, but until then I have to move out."

"Oh Jeff - I'm so sorry. Look, I'll help - tell me what I can box up for you, and when I've got my car back I'll help you move everything into storage."

"That's… really decent of you. You don't have to do that."

"Nonsense - I'm sure you'd do the same for me."

"...Yeah, probably..."

The nap on the sofa had pretty much cleared the last of Annie's headache, so she followed Jeff's directions about packing up his books and DVDs and such kitchen goods as he wouldn't need again before moving out. Jeff bluntly forbad her from touching his bathroom products or his clothes, but there was still enough left to get them through to lunchtime when Jeff made a salad of - well, whatever was left in his fridge basically, which meant mostly boiled eggs, lettuce, cheese and cold meats.

After that, Jeff kept his word and drove Annie back to Marcia's place to pick up her car - and after that, Annie kept her word and spent the rest of the afternoon helping Jeff move boxes to the storage unit he'd hired. When they finally shifted the last of the boxes that had been packed Annie said that she really needed to get back to her own apartment as she still hadn't done her weekend homework yet.

Jeff smiled. "Of course you must, thanks for everything Edison - it's actually been a good day."

He held out his hand for her to shake. Impulsively, Annie ignored it and closed in for a hug instead - Jeff stiffened for a second, and then returned it.

"See you tomorrow, Jeff."

"And you, Edison."

XXXXXX

Monday morning saw Jeff at Greendale unnaturally early. He had an unpleasant job to do and didn't want to put it off. He knew from Annie's schedule that she had an 8AM study session with Marcia and Joelle in Study Room B, so he made sure to arrive twenty minutes early and hid so Annie wouldn't see him when she arrived, then he came out of hiding and waited for Marcia to arrive. When she did, she didn't look pleased to see him, resigned at best.

"Hi, Jeff."

"Marcia. I said we'd talk." In truth Jeff was no longer sure what to say after what he'd heard from Jack when carrying Annie away.

"So, did you really break the douchebag's nose?" Marcia was visibly surprised he opened with that.

"Yes, and I think Jack all but broke his arm when throwing him out of the house too."

" _Good_. Look, you've probably worked it out for yourself now but regardless of all the grief and trauma she's been through, Annie has much less experience of the real world than the likes of me - and you, I'm assuming." Marcia nodded. "She can't just be exposed to predators like that and have it assumed that she knows how to handle them."

Marcia nodded. "Yeah, I see that now. But we can't just wrap her up in cotton wool, you know?"

Jeff sighed. "Look, just be careful with her okay? And if you see that guy around - call me."

"How can I do that? I don't have your number."

Jeff took out his phone, called up his contacts and pressed a button. Marcia's phone rang. "Now you do."

Marcia raised a questioning eyebrow. "I took it off Annie's phone. I thought I would probably need it at some point."

"So what does that make us? Team Annie?" Marcia said.

Jeff half smiled. "Something like that. Look, Annie's got potential and she's going to go places - it won't be long before the likes of us are a drag on her, not a support. But until then…"

"Got it, Jeff. So, what do we tell her about what happened?"

"I told her that guy spiked her drink, she passed out and you threw him out of the party when you saw what was going on and then called me. She really doesn't need to know any more than that."

"Are you sure? Jack thinks you may have saved her life by getting the alcohol out of her before it poisoned her."

"As I said Marcia, she doesn't need all the details."

"Well, it's your call I suppose."

"See you around Marcia. Enjoy your study session."

"See you around too, Jeff."

Jeff still had almost an hour to go before he was late for the 9AM start of his own study group's Monday morning session so he wandered over to the cafeteria to get a leisurely breakfast and a cup of coffee. He finished on the stroke of nine and wandered back to Study Room F, getting there about five minutes late, as usual. He gave everyone a cheery greeting and pulled out his usual chair, only to see a gift bag on the seat.

"Who put this here?" He asked.

"No idea," Britta said. "Did any of you guys see anybody drop it off?" Everybody shook their heads.

"I was first in," said Abed. "And nobody outside our group came in after me. It must have been dropped off before anybody arrived."

His curiosity thoroughly aroused, Jeff opened the bag and saw a small cardboard box inside. He opened the box and saw a note and a small plastic figure. He took a closer look at the figure - it was a cheap, plastic toy soldier, a mediaeval knight holding a sword up in the air and completely covered in silver paint with a sprinkling of glitter. The note only consisted of one word and two letters - _Thanks, AE_.

Jeff looked again at the toy and remembered the end of his first ever conversation with Annie. He smiled the softest, most genuinely warm smile anybody in the study group could remember seeing on him. _A knight in shining armour. Thank you, Annie._

Jeff looked up to see the rest of the Study Group staring at him as though he'd grown another head. "Let's study, shall we?"

It's fair to say the rest of the week went somewhat downhill from there for Jeff - he lost his Condo on Tuesday, tried living out of his car for a couple of days only for it to go so badly that his Study Group staged an intervention and forced him to move into the spare bunk in Abed's room by the weekend. The little plastic figure got pride of place on the shelf Abed cleared for his stuff though.

 


	6. Advanced Public Speaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our couple have their first kiss and their first dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first half of this is mostly the episode in question with only modest AU content - but then it's debate week, and I didn't dare touch that! There's more AU content in the second half.

Week 9

(Study Room F)

"Have you seen the Film Department's website?" Troy asked everyone.

"What do you think?" Jeff snarked.

"All of Abed's films are about us!"

"What?"

"Check it out." Troy fired up his laptop.

Upbeat techno music plays. A stylishly dressed young man walked into view. He posed like he's modelling sunglasses.

"What else is new?"

"Jeff!" Everybody said at the same time.

"Hola." Jeff walked to the table like he was on a catwalk.

"Jeff, stop being so relaxed!" Britta cried out. "We need to talk to you about -"

Shirley Jumped in. "We know you're living out of your car. Why, on the Lord's good earth, are you living out of your car, boy?"

Jeff was not happy with the intervention. "Should I go get a runway full of ice cubes? Because you guys need to cool your jets!"

(In the real world)

"Those people look just like us!" Said Shirley. "That's eerie."

(Back on screen)

"Fine, it's true. I'm living out of my car. And I don't want anyone's help." Jeff stormed out of the Study Room.

(In the real world)

"We had almost that exact conversation last week!" Said Shirley.

"Yeah, but Abed posted this video two weeks ago." Said Troy.

Shirley gasped. "That boy's a soothsayer!"

(Back on screen)

Jeff stormed out of the library. He looked across the Quad to the Learning Resource Center, checked around to make sure he was unobserved, and jogged across. Once there, he checked again to make sure he wasn't being watched, then dipped inside and made his way to Study Room B. A petite girl with dark hair and wearing a red cardigan was inside and greeted him with a delighted smile. "Hi, Jeff!"

"Hi Annie," he answered with a big smile of his own. "My study group are driving me mad at the moment. Do you have anything for me?"

"Well I'm practising conjugating irregular verbs, you can join me if you want."

"Great! You know how much I love… conjugating!" The smile on Jeff's face was positively lascivious. Annie blushed, but smiled back.

(In the real world)

"Where the hell is Abed?" Jeff hissed through clenched teeth, then turned around and stormed out of the study room.

"Troy, wind that bit back." He heard Shirley saying in a grim tone as he left.

Jeff was ambushed on his mission to inflict grievous bodily harm on Abed by Annie, the dean and professor Whitman. Annie was wearing some sort of uniform.

"Oh! Did you happen to hear my announcement this morning?" The dean spoke first.

Jeff looked at him with an expression of poorly concealed disdain. "I hang on every word."

"I'm going to assume that's sarcasm." The dean sniffed.

"Correct."

"So you didn't hear my announcement?"

"I'm barely listening now."

"Oh."

Annie jumped in front of Jeff, she had her formidable face on and was making eye contact.

"My debate partner dropped out, And we need you to fill in for him at the championship tonight."

Professor Whitman came up next to Annie. "Jeffrey, as debate coach, I am offering you an opportunity to spend the night drinking from the cup of life rather than romancing your nether regions In front of the E! channel!"

"Come on, Jeff." Said the dean. "I mean, who better than a former lawyer to really stick it to those city college snobs and their star debater Simmons?" Annie was giving her formidable face all it's got.

"Mm, pass." Jeff tried to sidestep the trio, on the second attempt, he succeeded. The dean scrambled desperately to get back in front of him.

"Okay. No, no. Listen, jerkwad - I'm sorry. That got heated. Greendale needs a win. The best compliment our sports programme gets Is that our basketball team is really gay, so what's it going to take? You know, a plum parking space, Free meals, A night of companionship if you know what I mean."

Annie has caught up with the dean and has given up on her formidable face and was now trying her best Disney princess look. Jeff desperately tried to maintain exclusive focus on the dean, unfortunately for him the dean manoeuvred himself so that Jeff couldn’t avoid seeing Annie over the dean's left shoulder.

Jeff sighed. "I'll do it for the parking space. And if you promise not to tell me what you mean."

"Okay." Jeff turned and walked away, Annie bounced with delight and exchanged high fives with the dean, then she scrambled to catch up with Jeff.

"Jeff - the topic for debate is "are people inherently good or evil?" So when do you want to get together to strategize?"

Jeff was dismissive. "Edison, I was a lawyer. I was a debater for money. I think I can handle this."

Annie looked somewhat sceptical as he brushed her off and walked away.

XXXXXX

(Evening of the debate, Jeff has delivered a Winger speech that got the whole hall singing along with him. He turns back to the judges.)

"At the end of round one, City college: 50, Greendale: 8."

Jeff was stunned. “I only got 8?"

"She got 8." The judge pointed at Annie. "You got 0. It's a debate, not American Idol."

Jeff went back to his seat. Annie looked furious, Simmons was gloating.

"Nice work, L.A. Law. All sizzle, no steak."

"I don't care, dude." For a man who didn't care, Jeff sounded pretty upset. "I'm doing this for a parking space."

(The debate collapsed into chaos as the basketball team invaded the gym. The dean suspended the debate until the day after, with a sarcastic comment that maybe Jeff could use the time to prepare. Jeff stormed out in a foul temper, pursued by an intense Annie.)

"Jeff, wait, when are we getting together to prepare for tomorrow?"

"Never, because it's stupid, and I don't care."

Even the human being was visibly disgusted with Jeff and mumbled something incoherent.

"Bite me," snapped Jeff, kicking a rubbish bin for emphasis.

"Maybe Simmons is right. You really are all sizzle and no steak. You probably couldn't beat him if you tried." Annie had her challenging face on.

"What do you mean I can't beat him?" Jeff rose to the challenge. "You and I are going to study harder than we've ever studied before and beat City College tomorrow."

"Really?" Annie looked delighted.

"No! Who am I, I-Carly?"

"What's wrong with you, Jeff?" Annie was upset again. "You act like things don't bother you, but they do."

Jeff deigned to offer a form of explanation. "Look, six months ago, I was a lawyer. I wore suits. I used to say stuff like 'objection' and 'sidebar.' Now I'm losing a community college debate to Jeremy 'soul patch' Simmons." As if invoked by a curse, the man himself appeared from nowhere behind Jeff.

"Hey, Winger! You like to sing? I like to sing too. Zee-eero fo-or Winger! Ba na na na na na! Kick that." He said to his sidekick, pointing at the rubbish bin Jeff kicked earlier. The sidekick did.

"Was a big shot law-aw-awyer! Ba na na na na na na! Now he's a loo-oo-oo-oo-ooser!"

Annie's anger had started to fade as Jeff explained himself, and as Simmons intervened she and Jeff turned around as one, adopting body language that was a mirror image of each other's. Now Annie spoke out in defence of Jeff.

"Lay off, Simmons. Jeff didn't understand the rules."

"Yeah? What's your excuse, eight points?"

"Dude, leave her out of this." Jeff warned Simmons. Simmons ignored him, and started chanting.

"Little Annie Adderall, was an outcast in high school!" Annie's face fell, Jeff turned to look at her, and just like that Jeremy Simmons had crossed Jeff Winger's red line, the one that really does not like bullies - especially, though he would deny it with all the strength at his disposal if challenged, bullies who go for his friend Annie.

"That's it." Jeff bent forwards until his face was only inches from Simmons'. "Dude, we are going to debate the living crap out of you." He turned to Annie, gripped her elbows and looked her directly in the eyes. "Come on we've got some preparing to do." He offered her his arm and they walked out side by side.

XXXXXX

(In the library, Shirley was in a panic about Abed's psychic abilities and was demanding he foretells her future. Abed denied any particular powers.)

"Shirley, I have no psychic abilities. I'm just an entertainer. But if it'll make you feel any better, Here, let me show you what I'm working on."

He opened a video, it showed Shirley screaming, being chased by werewolf Troy.

Shirley had difficulty believing her eyes. "I'm sorry, is that me being chased down by a werewolf?"

"Yeah." Said Abed. "And that's how you'd behave in that situation, no?"

"The situation being me being chased down by a werewolf?"

"Mm-hmm."

(Scene on video changed to the quad. A petite brunette in a red cardigan was bouncing happily around a stylishly dressed young man.)

"Jeff!" She said. "I've got those extra credit notes you asked for!"

"That's great, Annie!" Jeff smiled, leant forward and gave Annie a hug. As they pulled away, their eyes locked on each other. Annie leant forward again, and suddenly they were kissing passionately. They were so involved in each other that they completely missed the sight of Shirley pursued by a werewolf and screaming as she ran past them.

(In the real world)

"And that's Jeff locking lips with that Annie girl?" Shirley could barely believe what she was seeing.

"Mm-hmm." Abed replied. "Yeah."

Shirley straightened up in disgust. "You're a fool." She said, and walked away.

XXXXXX

(In Study Room B, Jeff and Annie were attempting to prepare. Annie was discussing the Stanford Prison Experiment, when Jeff suddenly cried out in pain. Annie was less than sympathetic about his stress headache.)

"You're knee-deep in it now, brother! This is debate. If you want to win, You need to prepare."

Jeff acknowledged her point. "Well, agreed, but if you want to win, You need to loosen up. Go off book, robot debater." He put on a machine tone of voice with the last words and imitated Annie's clumsy, over-deliberate hand gesture from the earlier debate.

Annie was dismayed. "Oh my gosh, you're right. Simmons is so good at using his inherent magnetism to sell his points, and here I am, like a spinster librarian with my hair pulled back!"

Jeff nodded. "Yeah."

Annie came to a decision. She reached up, unfastened her hair grips and let her hair fall loose, teasing it into place with her hands. She smiled the most grown up smile Jeff had ever seen from her.

"What do you think?" Jeff was utterly stunned by the transformation - a friend he had always seen as more of a kid sister than anything else had suddenly transformed into a shockingly beautiful young woman. He could barely manage to croak out one word "- yeah." His mind however was racing. _You are in so much trouble, Winger!_

Annie registered there was far more to Jeff's reaction than just one word. She did a happy bounce and flashed an even brighter smile. "Thanks!"

Their eyes met over the table. Silence filled the room and the air grew heavy between them. It was Annie who broke contact first.

"We should get back to work."

"Yes. Um, okay." Jeff forced himself to look down at his notes as Annie, feeling uncomfortably warm, took off her cardigan. "The people are inherently evil."

Annie made a determined effort to get back on topic. "Ooh, we can use this Hobbes quote!" She got up and came round and leant over Jeff's shoulder so he can read the book too. "'Man is a collection of base animal urges. To act on them and experience sinful pleasure would be morally no different than taking a breath.'"

Jeff looked sideways, and realised that Annie's mostly exposed cleavage was now only inches away from his face, worse than that he could feel the soft pressure of her breast on his shoulder as she leant in. It took every ounce of willpower he had to turn his gaze away rather than - _don't even think it Winger_! As she finished, they made eye contact again. They held the gaze for a second and then started to pull away. It was Annie's turn to feel flustered as Jeff stretched away from her to put distance between them and his t-shirt stretched tight over his chest muscles.

"That's poignant, right?" Annie stammers.

_I have so got to get out of here_! Every ounce of Jeff's willpower was now focussed on not giving in to _his_ base animal urges. "Yeah. You know, maybe we should study alone."

"Yeah." Annie was feeling more than a little bit shaken by the way things have changed between them too.

"Separately." Said Jeff.

"Uh-huh." Said Annie. "That way we can be more reproductive-productive!" She practically screamed the correction.

"Bye!" They practically shouted at the same time. Annie closed in for a hug, it lasted perhaps a fraction of a second before they both pulled away as though electrocuted. Jeff turned on his heel and basically fled the room.

"You forgot your phone!" Annie shouted after him.

"I can get another one!" Jeff practically squeaked back as he disappeared up the stairs.

Jeff spent the rest of the night studying as he has rarely studied before - desperately throwing himself into the depths of human misery and depravity to take his mind off of soft hair, an extraordinary smile, creamy smooth skin and a soft, warm pressure on his shoulder.

He woke up the next day from a night torn apart by feverish dreams and barely managed to drag himself to Greendale in time for the start of the morning study group session. Shirley was glaring at him, Pierce and Britta openly grinning.

"Okay, what's going on?"

"Troy, show him Abed's latest video." Said Britta. Troy fired up his laptop.

"What does Shirley being chased by a were -"

He saw the scene switch to the courtyard, watched it unfold in silence.

"Abed, that isn't helping."

"I only observe and tell stories Jeff, I don't foretell."

"Let's be absolutely clear." Said Jeff. "I. Will. Not. Be. Kissing. Annie. In. The. Quad. Now, can we study?"

XXXXXX

(That evening, just before the debate)

Jeff had avoided Annie all day, needing the time to calm himself down a little. As the start time approached, he finally met up with her and professor Whitman behind the stage in the gym. Annie smiled at him.

"I've got something for you, Jeff." She handed over a debate team jersey that was a match for the one she was wearing.

Jeff put on the jersey. He adjusted the hang fractionally.

"Damn, but I look good in _anything_." Annie did a happy bounce and flashed him a smile.

"You ready to do this thing, champ?" Jeff was looking Annie straight in the eye.

Annie nodded. "As I'll ever be, partner."

Jeff bowed slightly, indicating Annie should take the lead. As she started walking, he fell in beside her and they walked side by side up the stairs onto the stage, taking their seats on the left as the audience saw it. Simmons was already there, but Jeff ignored him as he held a chair for Annie to sit down before taking his own seat in an elaborately casual manner and acknowledging the cheers of his study group who had come to support him while Annie waved at Marcia and Joelle who were sitting in the back.

Simmons was not happy at being ignored. He did however get to go first when the dean gave the order to re-start the debate.

"...and as German poet Franz Wickmeyer once wrote "snow falls from the heavens pure. We cannot blame the snow for being soiled by the earth." He choked with emotion, shed a manly tear and forced himself to speak again. "Man is good."

Jeff Winger will now offer a two-minute rebuttal." Professor Whitman announced.

Jeff got up, sober of countenance and walked to the front of the stage. Simmons barracked him.

"Hey, sizzle. What are you going to sing tonight? I'm in the mood for some Sade." He snickered.

Jeff ignored him, halted at the front of the stage and paused for a moment to make eye contact with the audience, then he began to speak.

"In the Stanford Prison Experiment, twenty one out of twenty one students when given absolute power, abused and tortured their fellow students. My competitor likens people to pure, falling snow. I would respond, 'there is none righteous. No, not one.' Now I realize Mr. Simmons' quote was from the great Franz Wickmeyer. Mine was just from a simple desert handyman - _named Jesus_." In the audience, Shirley cheered.

Simmons, suddenly looking a great deal more serious, looked across at Annie. The petite brunette met his gaze head on with her most formidable face and nodded twice. _It's game on, Simmons. Do you realise that now?_

Simmons fought back, but Jeff and Annie were on fire. They fielded point and counter-point like two halves of a perfect whole, topping every point Simmons made with one of their own. When the debate paused for a five minute break before closing arguments, they could barely contain their exhilaration.

"We make an amazing team!" Annie said jubilantly.

I know!" Said Jeff, who was feeling equally excited. "We're so in sync. It's like a perfect duet or great seeee…." He realised what he was about to say and panicked slightly about how to finish it.

Fortunately, a distraction arrived.

"Hey, professor Whitman!"

"Jeffrey - your preparation was impeccable. You remind me of a young me with slightly worse hair." Annie nodded in agreement.

They were joined by an equally excited dean. "I just checked with the judges - they'll need a miracle to win in rebuttal. Simmons is finished!"

Simmons had one last hand to play however. A sudden expression of resolve crossed his face and he theatrically tore up his cards and threw the pieces to either side of his wheelchair.

Annie spotted him and silenced the jubilation of her colleagues. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. He's going off book!" They all turned to look as he slowly turned his wheelchair to face them.

In the audience, Shirley was baffled as to what is going on. "why is he ripping up the cards? Doesn't he need the cards?"

Abed was suddenly focussing all his attention on the stage. "it's a gambit." He said, in his best Batman voice.

Simmons aimed his wheelchair at Annie and started accelerating. Jeff stepped a couple of paces forwards to shield his partner. Simmons suddenly slammed on the brakes, catapulting himself forward, straight at Jeff, who instinctively caught him.

"He hates me, yet he caught me!" Simmons cried out, his voice cracking with emotion. "Man is good!"

The City College section of the audience erupted with cheers and applause. The judges looked like they were about to award the win to Simmons by acclamation.

Then Annie stepped forward with an expression of terrible resolve on her face. She grabbed hold of Jeff's head with both of her hands and pulled him down into an intense kiss. Jeff was suddenly utterly overwhelmed, and reacted entirely on instinct. He dropped Simmons and his arms went around Annie, drawing her into him with a suddenly desperate need. The Hall went silent apart from Shirley squeaking "Abed! Abed!" as everybody focussed on the couple passionately kissing on stage. Suddenly, Annie broke away with a triumphant expression on her face.

"He was horny, so he dropped him!" She cried, pointing at Jeff and Simmons. "Man is evil!"

"Greendale wins!" The judges cried, and the audience erupted.

A jubilant Annie looked up at Jeff. "That off book enough for ya?" An utterly stunned Jeff Winger was, for once in his life, totally speechless.

The crowd was dispersing gradually. Almost unnoticed in the celebrations, Jeff and Annie left the gym and headed out into the night.

"Well, I'm going this way," said a suddenly nervous Annie.

Jeff was still slightly stunned, but was finally able to talk semi-coherently. "So - well, um, congratulations, champ."

"Thanks, partner."

They moved towards a hug, but failed to connect as they lunged in opposite directions. They tried again, with the same result. Annie rolled her eyes.

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" She stepped in suddenly before Jeff could react and threw her arms around his waist. Jeff's arms floated frozen in mid-air for a second and then he completed the hug.

They stood like that for a long moment, just relaxing, then Annie pulled away with a smile on her face.

"Thanks again, Jeff, you were a good stand in. See you on Monday."

Jeff smiled back. "See you Monday, Edison." Annie walked off, giving a swift wave before turning her back. Jeff watched her go for a moment then headed away himself.

XXXXXX

Week 10

(Study Room B, Monday morning)

For once, it wasn't Marcia's private life that was the main topic of discussion.

"So tell us about the kiss, Annie!" Marcia had said almost as soon as she had walked through the door.

"There's nothing to say about it," Annie said. "I took that kiss for the team, it was all about winning the debate."

"Annie, who are you kidding? You guys were _hot_ together - if that was acting you should get an Emmy!"

Annie blushed again. "Well, I'm not going to say it wasn't _nice_ \- Jeff knows what he's doing…"

"He's had enough experience." Joelle muttered.

"Joelle!" Annie squeaked.

"So what? If even half the stories are true, he's almost as big a slut as Marcia."

" _Joelle_!" Now it was Marcia's turn to wax indignant.

As if exhausted by the effort to put together so many complete sentences in a row, Joelle simply raised her eyebrows in challenge and met Marcia's gaze.

The bigger girl thought for a moment and shrugged. "I just have a very… friendly personality, that's all."

"Can we study now?" Said Annie. "We do have a Spanish test tomorrow after all." She couldn't help but flash a small but grateful smile at Joelle for distracting Marcia though. The redhead smiled back.

XXXXXX

Annie felt absolutely miserable. Okay, so she'd messed up in not hearing Chang call an end to the test, but he'd dragged her bodily out of the classroom and it wasn't her fault the man was nuts and had given the rest of the class an essay to write in response, which had then escalated to a twenty page long submission which had to be in by Monday after the rest of the class tried to challenge the absurdity of it. But it was two days later and she was still being given the evil eye by the rest of the class and even Joelle and Marcia were only coming round to Study Room B to work. _Probably because they've worked out that if anybody stands a chance of doing this thing it's me._ Annie thought bitterly. Though even then they were wrong - Annie had been as surprised as anyone when Chang had announced Jeff had not only handed in his essay early but done well - _he probably paid one of the Mexican gardeners a hundred bucks to write it for him_ , she thought cynically.

She was therefore more than a little surprised when the man himself slid into the opposite side of the booth she was having lunch at - alone - and greeted her with a dry smile, especially as the rest of his study group was sitting in a booth on the far side of the cafeteria.

"Room for one more at the outcast's table?"

"Hi Jeff," Annie smiled cautiously back at him. "Aren't you worried about your cool rating if you're seen with me?"

"Being cool is overrated, Edison."

"It's that bad, huh?" Annie didn't believe his carefree attitude for a moment. "Why don't you tell me what's happened. I may be able to help."

So Jeff told her - about how his study group had begged him to use his charm on Chang to get him to change his mind about the assignment, how he'd actually taken the man drinking and pretended to be his friend for an evening, and how Chang had only been willing to let Jeff off - and even then only if Jeff continued to pretend to be Chang's best friend whenever Chang was feeling lonely (which was most of the time) or Chang would fail Jeff for the whole course, not just this assignment. And what was worse, his study group was convinced he'd only ever been interested in getting himself of the hook and had ostracised him as a result.

Annie reached over the table, grasped his hands and looked in his eyes.

"That sucks, Jeff. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Would you be willing to put on a sexy dress and go on a date with Chang?"

" _What_?" Annie let go of his hands and sat back in her seat, arms crossed against her chest and ready to explode.

"All of this started because his wife threw him out and he's feeling lonely. If I could set him up with some alternative female company he might calm down, and you're the only woman who's offered to help…"

"Not Going To Happen, Jeff." Annie said grimly. "You'd stand a better chance of getting his wife to take him back."

"That's… not the worst idea in the world, Edison." Jeff was suddenly looking thoughtful. "Unfortunately, I have no idea how to get in touch with her."

"That I can help you with," Annie said. "I've got to know the dean's secretary quite well because of all the voluntary work I do around here. I'm sure she'll let me have Chang's next of kin contact details if I ask her nicely."

Jeff was actually starting to look excited again. "If this comes off Edison, I'll owe you one."

"Yes, you will." Annie was smiling properly now.

XXXXXX

That evening saw Jeff making his way to a small house in the Greendale suburbs. He knocked on the door and a startlingly attractive Hispanic woman in her late 30's opened it.

"Senora Chang? You don't know me, but I'm Jeff Winger and I'm a student of your husband's at Greendale Community College…"

It took most of the evening, but by the end Jeff had convinced her to at least come along to the Green Week dance on Saturday night. The argument that finally seemed to work was when he said that Chang respected her decision to leave, but if he was never to see her again he wanted to dance the Salsa one last time - that had been a part of their relationship that had always worked, after all.

XXXXXX

(Saturday night, the Green Week Dance)

As was often the case with this sort of thing, Annie Edison was one of the volunteers who had helped set up the cafeteria for the Green Week Dance - it helped that none of the other volunteers were in her Spanish class so treated her exactly the same as they always did. She was therefore standing at the back of the room when she saw Change dance a surprisingly competent Salsa with his wife - to an Irish jig, no less - and make a tearful announcement cancelling the essay (except for Jeff) and then saw Jeff mobbed by his study group who were full of praise for pulling it off. She saw him smile and shake his head in response to a question, and then the rest of the study group moved away to join in the dancing. Annie walked away from her spot at the back of the cafeteria and came to stand next to him.

"Congratulations, you really did it."

Jeff smiled down at her. "It's official, I'm awesome."

"Are you awesome enough to ask a girl to dance?"

Jeff smiled and shook his head. "I don't dance to this sort of music, sorry."

Annie was smiling openly now. "You owe me one, remember?"

A theatrically wounded expression crossed Jeff's face, but after a moment he smiled back and held out a hand. "Will you do me the honour, milady?"

XXXXXX

Halfway across the room where she was dancing with Troy, Britta Perry saw Jeff suddenly take hold of Annie's hand, spin her into his body and then out again, with the petite brunette laughing joyously. An odd twinge of… jealousy, she realised it was went through her. _You're not too cool to dance with your little friend, I see_. She forced herself to ignore what Jeff was doing and concentrated on throwing the most brilliant smile she could at Troy.


	7. Advanced Public Health

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which another lady catches our hero's eye and he has to make a choice.

Week 11

Jeff and Britta had met up for a meal together. Granted, it was breakfast in the Greendale cafeteria before the study group met, but it still counted as one-on-one. Jeff was gratified to think it means the blonde may be finally softening a little.

"What's your little friend doing with the dean, Jeff?" Britta asked.

"Oh, crap." Jeff replied, as he spots the CATCH KNOWLEDGE sign over the cafeteria and Annie and the dean standing outside wearing "STD Fair '09" t-shirts. "He roped her in to help run the STD fair and, being Annie, she's gone all in on it."

Britta smiled slightly at hearing Jeff say something even mildly derogatory about the other girl, but then checked herself. _Way to betray the Sisterhood, Perry_.

"If we just look straight ahead and keep walking, we won't have to have a conversation about the Clap before breakfast." Britta suggested.

"Good call," Jeff smiled wryly.

"Catch knowledge!" Annie called in a cheery voice,while attempting to give Jeff a leaflet.

"Sorry, not interested -" Jeff pushed by as Annie's mouth fell open in a slight moment of shock.

"-in ignoring your very important cause." He swivelled through 180 degrees as a young blonde woman with an STD Fair sticker on her jacket walked out of the cafeteria and straight past him.

_Seriously, Winger? Did any conscious thought at all happen then or was that pure instinct?_ Britta thought to herself as she stopped going forward and turned around.

"Hi, I'm Jeff Winger." He said to the new blonde with his patented smile.

"Oh, Sabrina is my new secretary." The dean cut in.

"'Secretary' is a little degrading to women," said Sabrina. "I help the dean do officey things."

"Oh! Gender saved." Britta had caught up and had decided to amuse herself seeing just how ridiculous this situation can get.

"My casual friend and I are going to have a non-romantic breakfast if you'd like to join us." Jeff said to Sabrina, while Britta pulled a face.

"The cafeteria's closed while we set up for the fair." Said Annie, who is smiling again - she was determined Jeff's blonde hippy friend was not going to see her be anything other than cheery or positive.

"Fortune cookie?" She offered. Jeff took one out of the basket.

The dean was bubbling over with enthusiasm. "Isn't it great? Greendale is the latest campus to catch a case of public health fever!"

Britta decided to inject a note of realism into the discussion. "You know the toilets in the women's bathrooms don't have seats, right?"

"Because they keep getting stolen!" The dean said. "Sabrina, take a note. I want hidden cameras in every stall."

_Sometimes its impossible to satirise this place_. Britta thought to herself, but all she said out loud was "Problem solved." The dean and Sabrina walked away talking, leaving Annie alone with Britta and Jeff.

Jeff opened his fortune cookie. "You will get AIDS."

Annie was still putting on a perky front. "Flip it over."

"Unless you go to the STD fair."

" I wrote that." Annie said, still with a smile on her face. Jeff and Britta looked at her with a distinct expression of disbelief on theirs.

"Congratu-horrible!" Jeff said, looking utterly dismayed.

Annie's smile slipped slightly. "See you later!" She said and skipped away to hand out more leaflets.

Jeff and Britta exchanged a look.

"Do you sometimes get the feeling that either you're mad or everyone else is?" Jeff said.

"At Greendale?" Said Britta. "All the time. Do you want to see if the vending machines in the student lounge have been restocked yet?"

"That depends - will there be anyone there trying to give me AIDS via a fortune cookie?"

They walked off together. Annie's smile slipped slightly as she saw them go - the blonde really does seem to be Jeff's match in a way Annie couldn't hope to be - but then she saw someone else walk up and it was back. "Catch knowledge!" She said, handing out a leaflet.

XXXXXX

(Jeff has allowed Pierce's taunting about not having a date to get to him. He has been phoning women's numbers from off his contact list, without any luck. Unknown to him, Britta has been watching him.)

"Ahh, Pierce really got to you, huh?" She said, walking over.

"It has been a dry spell. But that's only because it's been a while since I've tried, so I'm trying."

"Yeah, I can see that." Britta had seized Jeff's phone and was flicking through his logs. "This is a lot of outgoing calls.”

"Car wash redhead.

Tube top, REM Concert.

Juror number six - that sounds above board.

At least you have 'mommy' in here."

"It's not my mom." Jeff snarked.

"Dude, not cool."

"You saying 'dude' is not cool."

"What are you doing?"

Britta had hit 'dial' on a number. Her own phone started ringing.

" Hah! 'Hot blonde, Spanish class'? You're welcome. This is the phone book of a man in his 20s - the women literally have no identities."

Britta had carried on scrolling through Jeff's contacts. "Hang on a minute," She frowned as she looked a bit closer. "'Annie'? How come your little friend gets a name while the rest of us are just attributes? Why isn't she in here as 'stacked brunette, front row' or something? "

Jeff sighed. "It's for the same reason as Troy is in there as 'Troy' and not 'biceps, tight ass' - "

"Oh, I wish Pierce were here to hear this…" Britta said.

"Hey - I'm sufficiently confident in my heterosexuality that I'm not afraid to recognise good work when I see it. And not a word to Pierce, Britta."

Britta raised her eyebrows, signalling she was not impressed with the diversion. Jeff sighed again. "It means I really don't look at her that way Britta - she really is just a friend. She's practically still a kid, it would be way too weird."

"Jeff Winger, 'just a friend' with an attractive young woman who kissed him in public two weeks ago? I don't believe it." Britta replied flatly.

"That kiss was strategic and joyless - we only did it to win the debate. But believe what you like Britta, " Jeff sighed. "It's the truth. Now give me my phone back."

"What a minute. I just want to see what you've got Shirley down as - "

Jeff dived over the table and swiped the phone back. "Game over, Britta."

XXXXXX

(The evening of the STD fair. The dean was delighted at how well it was going and asked Annie a favour. Annie was panicking slightly and was asking Marcia for help.)

"Marcia, I have a problem! The dean wants me to demonstrate the proper use of a condom at the stupid fair by putting one on a mannequin's stupid manthing - It's a big honour but I'm going to screw it up!"

Marcia didn't see what the problem was. "it's easy enough to practice, Annie. Can you get hold of a banana or a cucumber?"

"This is an anatomically correct model I'll be handling - real wingdings are nothing like cucumbers! Are they?"

Marcia could barely believe her ears."Annie - have you never seen one?"

She suddenly started laughing. "Oh crap, Annie - you're not a, _a virgin_ are you?"

Annie was suddenly mortified with embarrassment. "I'm not a virgin! I had... relations with my high school boyfriend. We did it to Madonna's erotica on the floor of his walk-in closet, but he wouldn't let me look at it. And he cried after, and during. He's gay now." She finished sadly.

Marcia didn't know whether to laugh out loud or be horrified. She decided to try sympathy instead.

"Annie, honey." She said, gripping the other girl's shoulders. "I think he was gay then. So you, uh, you never saw one when you were growing up? Like, you know, on the Internet, or at High School?"

Annie shook her head miserably. "What I need to do is practice on the actual model, but the dean has it locked in his office."

"That's easy enough. Just go and ask him - tell him you want to practice."

"No! This is really embarrassing - I don't want anyone to know. I just want to figure out how to do it and get it over with." She said miserably.

"Well, if you're not prepared to ask the dean to let you practice on the model your only option is to find a guy you trust who'll let you practice on the real thing, as it were." Marcia grinned suddenly and pulled out her phone. "Jeff gave me his number after Halloween -"

"NO!" Annie screamed and grabbed Marcia's phone. "Don't you dare even mention this to Jeff, or anyone! He doesn't take me seriously as a grown up as it is, and if that blonde witch who's been playing hard to get around him finds out she'll make sure nobody forgets it! Look, the dean is counting on me, and I want him to know that I'm someone he can trust - we'll have to break into his office!"

Marcia shook her head. "B&E isn't my style Annie. You're on your own on that one, I'm afraid. Good luck." She gave her friend a quick hug, then walked away shaking her head in bemusement.

Annie walked off in the opposite direction, until she found a supply closet. She rummaged around a bit until she found what she was looking for - a janitor's toolbox. She helped herself to it and headed off to the dean's office.

When she got there, she found it's locked with a padlock. She got a screwdriver out of the toolbox and started attacking the mounting plate. She'd got two screws undone and was starting on a third when a torch suddenly illuminated her.

"What's going on here?" Annie turned around, and saw a uniformed security guard.

"Don't you move." He said. She froze. "I'm calling the dean."

"I get a phone call too, right?" Annie whimpered, timidly.

XXXXXX

Jeff's evening had been somewhat of a mixed bag. After being goaded by Pierce over his lack of a date, he persuaded Sabrina to be his date for the night after barely a minute of chat - and half of that was with the dean, to find out some of her interests. She had her good points - she was hot, and handsy in a way that promised good things later, but ye gods she was _dumb_. And Pierce was, well, Pierce. Pierce's date Doreen on the other hand was thoroughly charming and Jeff found himself really enjoying talking to her. After both Pierce and Sabrina had left the table for a moment, Jeff took the opportunity to concentrate on Doreen.

"You know, you are not what I expected from one of Pierce's dates. You're smart, you're classy. You're not wearing go-go boots."

Doreen laughed. "They're getting re-soled. Am if I'm not what you expected from one of Pierce's dates, you're not what I expected from one of his friends."

Jeff smiled. "Oh, do tell."

"Well, you know what I do for a living and you're neither grossed out nor unhealthily intrigued."

"I can hardly take the high ground, Doreen. I'm a lawyer, and I'm sure you've heard the joke about the difference between your profession and mine?"

Doreen smiles. "We both screw people for a living -"

"-but when you do it, the person on the receiving end gets to enjoy the experience." Jeff finished.

Doreen laughed pleasantly at the old joke. "You know, despite what most people think, I actually spend most of my time talking. As men get older, they want to spend their time with someone they can have a real conversation with."

"Oh, that is going to suck." Jeff commented.

"'Going to', Jeff? Look, Sabrina's cute, but she thinks that Monty Python is the evil snake from Harry Potter."

"Trust me, I know girls I _can_ converse with who are way more annoying."

Jeff's phone rang. He saw "Annie" flash up on caller ID. "And this is one of them, right now." Doreen raised her glass in sardonic salute.

"Edison, what's going on? This had better be an emergency -"

"Jeff, I've been arrested! I'm being held in the dean's office!"

"Annie, what the - ? Never mind. Don't say a word. If they try to make you, say you're not prepared to talk until your lawyer gets there. I'll be there in five." Jeff hanged up.

"Ooh! I didn't know you were a lawyer!" Sabrina had come back, she looked _very_ interested now.

"Sorry babe - got to run, my client's in trouble. See you around." He turned to the other woman present.

"Doreen, it was nice to meet you."

"You can do better, Jeff." She said in a low voice.

Jeff briefly looked over at Pierce. "So can you, Doreen."

XXXXXX

"Annie, what on earth has being going on here?" The dean said.

Annie looked simultaneously defiant and petrified. "My lawyer has instructed me not to say a word until he gets here."

"Your _what_?" The dean cried out. He suddenly grabbed Annie's phone, ignoring her squeak of protest, and checked the call log.

"Oh, _that_ lawyer."

XXXXXX

Jeff breezed in through the office door a couple of minutes later. Annie flashed him a nervous smile. "Good evening everyone. Annie, Dean - great to see you again, Officer Cackowski." He shook the guard warmly by the hand.

"And you, Mr Winger."

"How's your wife, Craig?"

"She's feeling much happier – we wrote a letter just the way you suggested, and the company responded with an offer of compensation by return of post."

"I'm really pleased to hear that." By now, Annie and the dean were both looking completely bemused at the byplay. Jeff shifted into a tone of voice that, while still friendly, was much more businesslike.

"Now, if you can tell me what's been going on here I'm sure we can sort this misunderstanding out momentarily."

"Well –" Annie said, before Jeff shushed her. "I'd like to hear Officer Cackowski tell it first if you don't mind Annie."

"I was doing my rounds and on passing the dean's outer office I heard a strange noise coming from inside. On investigating further, I found miss Edison kneeling next to the door attempting to force open the lock. I notified the dean, and allowed miss Edison to call you."

"Mm-hmm." Said Jeff. "so, what exactly is my client being accused of?"

Well, breaking and entering, obviously – "said the dean before Jeff interrupted him.

"What was broken? It looks like my client was if anything going out of her way to avoid breaking anything."

"Well, yes but – "

"Thank you, dean. And entering, what was entered?"

"Well, nothing. But that's only – "

"Thank you dean."

The dean was starting to get distinctly agitated. "But what about the theft of a toolbox!"

"As I'm sure the good officer will confirm," Jeff nodded towards the security guard, "but it only counts as theft if there's intent to permanently deprive. Annie, were you intending to keep the toolbox?"

"Of course not! I was going to return it as soon as I was finished."

"So, no breaking and entering and no theft. I really don't see why we're wasting any more of anybody's time on this."

"Jeffrey!" The dean was frantic now. "Stop this! My office has been violated –"

"Dean! Sidebar please." Jeff had abruptly adopted the tone of voice that had made him feared by prosecutors across the state. He took the dean by the elbow and led him out into the corridor. The strange little man appeared to cheer up noticeably at the physical contact. "Look dean, " Jeff whispers urgently. "This is Annie Edison we're talking about – a girl who is normally pathologically honest, but who tends to panic under pressure. Now I don't know why she did this – "

"Well – " the dean tried to interrupt, Jeff wouldn't let him.

"And I don't care, but I do know that she wouldn't have tried this if she wasn't feeling trapped somehow. You know this girl – she's by a long way the smartest, hardest working student in this place, she volunteers for _everything_ and she's half of the debate team that won the only trophy anybody from Greendale has won since forever. Do you really want her to get so upset she quits and goes to City College?"

"But my office!"

_What the heck's he got in there that he's so afraid of getting found?_ Jeff wondered to himself. Jeff decided to play his last card, a bluff, but a card nevertheless. "Dean, she's my best friend here – half the grades I've got have only been as good as they are because of help she's given me. If she goes, I might have to follow her."

"You're bluffing!" The dean sounded bereft.

"Do I look like I'm bluffing?" Jeff had an excellent poker face.

The dean put on a creepy little smile and reached out to stroke Jeff's pecs. "Of course you're right, Jeffrey." He turned around and went back into the office.

"Annie," he said. " Jeffrey and I have discussed this and we agree it's all been a misunderstanding. You're free to go."

Annie jumped up with a squee of delight and hugged the dean, then she saw Jeff standing in the door and ran over to hug him too. "Thanks Jeff, this means a lot."

"Let's get you out of here Edison before anything else happens." He turned to the security guard and offered his hand. "Thanks for keeping it sane, Craig. See you around." The guard took Jeff's hand and shook it.

"A pleasure, Mr Winger. Have a word with your friend though, please? And if you can return this?" He handed over the tool box. Jeff took it in his right hand – his left was still draped over Annie's shoulder just as her arm was still around his waist. He started to lead her away.

"Well, aren't they a cute couple?" He heard the dean say somewhat sourly behind him. They let go of each other.

"Show me where you got this thing from, Edison."

Annie was only too happy to, especially as Jeff had shown no interest in why she was breaking into the dean's office in the first place.

"So Edison, why were you breaking into the dean's office in the first place?" He said, after dropping the toolbox back at the storage closet.

_Damn, spoke too soon_. "Aw – do I have to, Jeff?" She put on her best Disney eyes. This time, Jeff wasn't giving in.

"Edison, I threw over a Sure Thing for you tonight. The least you owe me is an explanation."

Annie suppressed a twinge of pain at Jeff's casual revelation and sighed. "Lawyer/client confidentiality?" After he smiled and nodded Annie told him the full story, even including Marcia's less than helpful suggestions.

Jeff was shaking his head in bemusement by the end of it. "Only in Greendale."

He turned, gripped her by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "Look, Annie – you're a great kid, and this place is lucky to have you. Don't _ever_ let anyone try to convince you otherwise."

_Oh, great. He's back to thinking I'm a kid again_. "Thanks Jeff. It's lucky to have you, too."

"I think we all know that." She elbowed him gently in the side and then hooked her hand back round his elbow. Jeff let her.

They wandered slowly back to the cafeteria, not talking much but simply enjoying each other's company. Just as they were approaching the entrance to the cafeteria they heard the tannoy crackle into life and Abed's voice ring out.

" _Attention, Greendale students. Don't use the condoms! If you're going to have sex tonight, don't use condoms!_ "

It was one absurdity too much. Annie let out a scream that swiftly turned into gusts of laughter. Jeff watched her with an expression of amused tolerance on his face. She gradually recovered. "Walk me to my car, Jeff?"

"Your wish is my command, milady."

XXXXXX

It was the end of a long, strange day and Jeff was feeling tired and - oddly for him - somewhat reflective about things. He thought for a moment about what Doreen had said about needing more substantial relationships, and pulled out his phone and scrolled down to 'Hot blonde, Spanish class', erased the label and typed 'Britta' instead. He actually did feel somewhat better.

XXXXXX

(Study group next day.)

Jeff walked into the room, slightly late as usual. Pierce had a huge grin on his face as he nodded towards Troy.

"'Biceps, tight ass' eh? I knew you were gay!"

"Britta!"


	8. Seasonal Holiday Celebrations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our heroine has a birthday.

 

Chapter 8 - Seasonal Holiday Celebrations

Week 12

The school day was drawing to an end on the last day before the winter break, and Annie only had one Christmas card left to hand out. She had tried to get it to Jeff earlier, but what with the fight and his study group having an end of semester party, she hadn't had an opportunity. She was content to wait in the main body of the library however and keep an eye on the door to Study Room F for him to emerge.

She was only waiting about an hour when she heard people start to leave – first Troy and Abed, then that strange old man who kept looking at her chest and the blonde witch, and finally Jeff and the African-American lady who frightened Annie a little (she'd got it into her head that Annie was trying to steal Jeff away from the blonde or something, and didn't approve) – Shirley, Annie thought her name was. They talked for a moment, hugged and headed off in opposite directions. Annie stood up from her hiding place and started running.

"Jeff!"

He smiled at her. "Oh hi, Edison. What are you doing here?"

"I haven't had a chance to give you your Christmas card – your face is a mess!" She blurted out as she got a close up look.

Jeff took the card and smiled ruefully. "Being punched repeatedly in it will do that. I'm just going to have to rely even more on my sparkling personality for the next few days."

Annie smiled, but her face fell slightly as Jeff put the card in his backpack and didn't get anything out for her. Jeff noticed.

"Yours is in my car, walk with me Edison." He offered her his arm. Annie does a small happy bounce and linked up.

On the way to the car park they talked about what they will be doing for the holiday – Jeff will be moving out of the dorm into a motel before spending Christmas itself with his mother and moving into a new apartment in the New Year – his condo has finally sold and he has money again. Annie will be volunteering with a homeless charity. Jeff knew it was unlikely she would spend it with family and it eased his conscience a little to hear she wouldn't be alone.

They'd reached the car. Jeff opened it up and dug out a small bag and handed it to Annie.

"Don't open it until I've gone. Happy holidays, Edison." He leaned forward and gave the little girl a big hug. She hugged him back. "And you Jeff. See you in the new year."

Jeff got in his car, waved once and drove away.

Annie waved back and started walking to her own car. As she went she opened the card and read the message inside.

_I'm ashamed to say it did not occur to me until after I bought this card that I have no idea whether or not you observe Christmas. So please take this as my sincerest best wishes that you experience all the joy of the season in whatever way is most fitting to the rite or tradition that means most to you. Thanks to your companionship and support, this semester has been both less tedious and more successful than it would ever have been otherwise or than I had any right to expect._

_I am now, and will always be,_

_Your friend._

_Jeff Winger._

Annie could barely finish reading through the tears that sprang up in her eyes. She wiped them, and then noticed there was something else in the bag. She took out a package and opened it up. It was a cheap plastic doll of Snow White, with it's fringe carefully pinned back to look like Annie's usual style. There was a tag on the box.

_For my real life Disney princess. JW_

This time, Annie let the tears flow.

XXXXXX

Winter Break

Joelle Dawson is a fundamentally quiet person who never used more words than are absolutely necessary, sufficiently so that those people who were aware of her existence tend to define her by it and frequently mock her for it. She had precisely two friends in Greendale (a fact which does not greatly trouble her, as she has always found her own company to be sufficient) - Annie Edison and Marcia Green. She suspected Annie was friends with her because the other girl was terrified of being alone and couldn't afford to be choosy, but she had no idea why Marcia was, one thing that cannot be said about Marcia was that she lacked company. Perhaps it was merely that Joelle listened to her anecdotes without interrupting. One thing that is often overlooked about quiet people however is that when they are not talking they are usually listening and paying attention in other ways and thus tend to notice things that otherwise would be private. Thus it was that on Friday 18 December she sent Marcia a text message.

_**Mar, you doin anythin 2moro? JoL** _

And got a reply a few minutes later.

_**Nothing unusual, why? MG** _

_**Annies Bday. She shouldnt be on her own.** _

It was a few minutes before Marcia replied, the news had obviously taken her by surprise.

**_I'll call her. How does a trip to the mall followed by dinner sound?_ **

To Joelle, it sounded like having her teeth pulled without anaesthetic. What she actually said was

_**Fine, txt me time &place. C U then.** _

Standing outside the north entrance of Greendale Mall at 12:30 the next day, Joelle quickly realised the flaw in their plan - it being the last Saturday before Christmas the place was heaving. She was only waiting a couple of minutes though before she saw Annie's head, capped with a purple beret, bobbing through the crowd. She waved until Annie saw her and waved back and started moving in her direction. By the time hugs and a birthday card had been exchanged they heard a cheery voice crying "coming through!" in the distance and they were soon joined by Marcia - more hugs, and another card exchanged.

"Right! let's get inside." Said Marcia. "Follow me!" And she was off, ploughing through the crowds like a Russian icebreaker in the Arctic Ocean. Annie and Joelle scrambled to keep up.

Thanks in no small part to Marcia's enthusiasm, Annie found herself having fun despite the fact she wasn't usually the sort of girl who would go into shops, try on outfits for the fun of it and then leave. Especially the sort of outfits Marcia thought it was fun to try on.

("Isn't this a bit, well, _thin_?" Annie said about one outfit in the third shop they stopped in.

"Annie, you need to wear something other than pastel cardigans if you want the boys to notice you, you know." Marcia had scolded her by way of reply.

"If she didn't wear anything other than a pastel cardigan I think the boys would definitely notice her." Joelle had said. Marcia had looked at her as if she couldn't believe the other girl could say anything so brazen, then hooted with laughter. Annie merely went pink with embarrassment.)

Half way through the afternoon and their feet were starting to hurt from all the walking. (And in Annie's case the horribly impractical shoes Marcia had made her try on which she almost fell off of. But still bought.) They found a Starbucks with an empty table and sat down with some relief, after placing their orders they settled down to some trivial conversation about their purchases and what they were doing for the holidays. After their orders arrived, Marcia made an excuse and went to the bathroom, she'd had an idea.

She dug out her phone, opened up the contact list and scrolled down to "bed hair, abs" and started typing.

_**Jeff, it's Annie's birthday today and Joelle and I are taking her to dinner at Paolo's on West & 7th. I think she'd like it if you could come - table is booked for 5PM. Marcia** _

Nodding with satisfaction, she completed her business and went back to the others.

As was usually the case with Marcia, the conversation came round to guys. "I'm actually seeing someone now, just the one guy." She said, as though monogamy was something shocking.

"Oh! Do tell!"

"Do you remember Jack from the Halloween party?" Joelle nodded, Annie was less sure. "We've been on and off for a while now, but we're definitely on at the moment."

"That's wonderful Marcia," Annie smiled a genuinely warm smile.

"So Annie," Marcia asked. "Have you heard anything from Jeff?"

Annie's smile went away. "He's busy closing a deal on a new apartment before he goes to spend the holiday with his mother. I haven't seen him since the last day of school, he did give me a nice card and present though."

Annie described what Jeff had given her.

"Wow, that's so cor-" Marcia started saying, before abruptly stopping when Joelle kicked her under the table. Joelle nodded meaningfully in Annie's direction and Marcia took a good, hard look at the expression on the brunette's face.

"Oh, you poor thing." She said as realisation hit her. "You've got it hard for that big idiot, haven't you?"

All of a sudden, Annie was on the verge of tears. "It's not his fault." She said miserably. "He's always made it clear that we're just friends and I'm just a kid who's too young for that sort of thing."

Joelle had no idea what to say, so she gave Annie a napkin and pulled her in for a hug instead.

It seemed to be the right thing to do as Annie dabbed her eyes and gave Joelle a smile of gratitude. "I can wait a couple of years - he might change his mind if I'm no longer somebody he can't even take to a bar."

"Annie Edison!" Said Marcia sharply. "You will not put yourself on ice for two years on the off-chance some guy might change his mind! You will put yourself out there and you will find someone who appreciates what an amazing girl you are!"

Annie sat up in surprise at Marcia's tone of voice but it seemed to work, a little. "Yes mother." She said with a straight face.

Marcia's phone chose that moment to vibrate.

_**You need a grown up to buy the wine, don't you?:-) I'll see you there. JW** _

_Crap. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all_. Marcia thought to herself. _On the other hand, this is probably the closest thing to a date with him she's likely to get and if she changes into some of the stuff we got her to buy she'll definitely look grown up…_

XXXXXX

Paolo's Restaurante Italiano, 5PM

Annie had thought Marcia was being ridiculous when she insisted the girls find a changing room and put their new purchases on for dinner, especially as the red dress was somewhat… cleavagey and didn't even reach her knees. She was rather enjoying the attention she was getting as she took off her coat and handed it to the concierge though. However she had refused point blank to walk through Greendale's snowy streets in the ridiculous heels, compromising on carrying them and putting them on just outside the restaurant while slipping her flats into her handbag. The concierge showed them to a booth at the back and gave them their menus.

Jeff Winger walked through the door a couple of minutes later, almost shockingly punctual for him. He was greeted with a broad smile.

"Buonasera, Signor Winger - it's so nice to see you again."

"And you, Paolo," Jeff grinned and returned the other man's hug.

"What can we do for you tonight?"

"I'm here to meet some friends, three young ladies?"

"Ah! They arrived only a few minutes ago, signore." He winked at Jeff and started leading him to the back of the restaurant. "Such beautiful young ladies, you've excelled yourself tonight Signor Winger." He whispered. "And here we are." Jeff thought Paolo was simply laying it on with a trowel, but he was actually pleasantly surprised by what he saw. He nodded affably to the girls.

"Marcia, a delight as always." For a larger girl she did indeed look good, especially in a top showing enough cleavage to cause a traffic accident.

"Joelle, that dress is stunning. It suits you." Joelle smiled and nodded - Jeff wasn't faking the flattery, he was genuinely surprised to see how nice the redhead looked when she made an effort. The third girl in the red dress was new to him, presumably Annie had gone to the ladies’ room.

"And who's your hot frie-" She turned to look at him with a happy smile on her face. "Hi, Jeff."

"Edison? Wow. Just… wow." He held out a hand to her. "Stand up - let me get a good look at you."

Annie took it, and slid out of the booth, stood in front of Jeff and turned through a full circle. "What do you think?"

"...you're taller." Was the first thing he could get out. She rolled her eyes.

"I'm wearing heels."

"Yes, yes you are." He looked at her legs for longer than was strictly necessary to verify this fact then forced himself to look upwards. _Don't stare at her cleavage, Winger! Well, maybe a glimpse_. Annie was blushing mightily under the unexpected attention, but she had a happy smile on her face.

Jeff's mind flashed back to the study session before the debate and the first time he'd noticed that Annie was not just a substitute kid sister he was fond of but a beautiful young woman. In particular he remembered the amount of time and effort it had taken to fight down that awareness and get back to a place he was comfortable in. _It's going to be a lot harder to come back from this_ , he thought to himself, while sternly ignoring the voice that was asking him just exactly why he'd want to.

"We'd better take our seats before the entire restaurant thinks I'm some sort of pervert."

"It's a bit late for that." Joelle muttered. Annie slid into the booth and Jeff followed her. As Annie sat down, she felt her phone vibrate in her handbag. The message was from Marcia.

_**He isn't looking at you like a little girl now.** _

Annie smiled back across the table at her.

The dinner was actually fun. Jeff was sitting directly opposite Joelle and finding her green eyes surprisingly distracting - _funny I never noticed that about her before_ he thought to himself, but then he'd turn to Annie and see her bright blue ones. _I've obviously been sensitised to eyes_. Joelle didn't say much, but Jeff was swiftly finding out that when she did it was surprisingly perceptive and often with a certain biting wit. _Better not introduce her to Abed - their children would be terrifying_.

Perhaps inevitably, the conversation was dominated by Jeff and Marcia - not so much talking to each other as telling rival anecdotes that the others would chip in on occasionally. Even though it was her birthday, Annie was more than happy to let her friends do the heavy lifting and relax into her booth seat and becoming increasingly aware as she did so that Jeff's arm was draped artfully casually across the top of the seat and only inches from her shoulders.

Time flew past, and it was a surprise to all of them that more than two hours had gone by when the dessert plates were cleaned away. Joelle hinted they should probably get ready to leave as the restaurant - which was heaving - would surely need the table. Jeff took the point, but ordered a round of Sambucas for all, saying he wished to propose a toast. _Make it good, Winger._

"Here's to the three qualities that make the perfect woman - intelligence" he nodded at Joelle; "Wit;" - Marcia. "And beauty"- Annie, who blushed. "Here's to the man who's been lucky enough to spend an evening surrounded by a surfeit of all three - " he bowed slightly to the group. "And most especially, here's to the young lady who owns them all on this her special day. Happy Birthday, Annie."

Annie was blushing bright red and tilting her eyes slightly down at the table as her friends repeated the Happy Birthday. "Thanks Jeff, that was sweet." She said in a somewhat shaky tone of voice. Jeff was somewhat surprised to see Marcia looking at him with a cool and appraising stare, entirely devoid of humour.

Jeff paid the bill - waving away suggestions from the girls that it should be split - and offered them lifts home in his car.

"Thanks Jeff, but Marcia's offered me a lift." Said Joelle, much to Marcia's surprise. "Can you get Annie home?"

"Not a problem - "Jeff said.

"There's no need, I can walk - " Annie said at the same time.

"Don't be silly, Edison. It's dark and cold and snowing, and you're not exactly dressed for the conditions." Jeff shushed her when she tried to object further.

They were outside the restaurant now. Joelle hugged Annie and - slightly more hesitantly - Jeff. Marcia did likewise, but as she closed in on Jeff she whispered in his ear -

"You and I need to have a talk about what you're doing to that girl. Soon." Jeff had not the faintest idea what Marcia was talking about and settled for bidding the girls farewell and walking Annie in the direction of his car. He noticed she'd got shorter of a sudden - while he'd been saying goodbye to Joelle and Marcia she'd taken the opportunity to change back into her flats. They linked arms and Jeff led Annie to his car, chatting idly about the day they'd had but not saying much of any consequence.

"Look Jeff, thanks for offering but you really don't have to," Annie said when they reached his car.

"Edison - this is _my_ formidable face now." He put on one of his more carnivorous courtroom faces. "You are _not_ walking home in this weather dressed like that. If I have to pick you up and stuff you in the car, I will. Now get in."

Annie sighed and got in, Jeff put her bags in the back, got in the driver's side and started the engine. Annie started giving directions and Jeff carefully followed them, not taking any chances in the conditions. Annie called out at one point that he could drop her off there as it was only two blocks for her to walk, but Jeff told her to just keep giving directions until they reached her front door. When they got there he was shocked.

"You live here?" He stared at a glaring neon sign that said DILDOPOLIS in huge letters. "Annie, you can't!"

"It's a flat above the shop. It's the only thing I could afford." She said. "But it's mine and I don't need anybody to tell me whats good for me!"

"It's not about telling you what to do Annie, it's about being a friend who's worried."

"Thanks Jeff, but please don't."

"I'm walking you to your front door at least." When Annie still looked defiant he added "I've got your bags in my trunk, this is the only way you're going to see them again…"

Annie sighed, admitting defeat. Jeff collected the bags from his trunk and followed her up a dank flight of stairs to a door with three locks on it and peeling paint.

Annie unlocked the door. "Thanks for a great evening Jeff. I'd invite you in but…"

"I understand, Edison." Jeff smiled ruefully at her. "I don't want to leave my car unattended any longer than necessary in this neighbourhood anyway."

Annie stood on tiptoe to hug Jeff and kiss him on the cheek. "Merry Christmas, Jeff."

"Happy Birthday, Edison."

Annie slipped through the door. Jeff stayed put until he heard the locks close, then turned and walked back to his car. He neither saw nor heard Annie slide down the door until she was sitting in a ball on the floor crying her eyes out. _Why, Annie, why do you let him get to you like this? It's all a game to him and you're just another piece on the board_ , she cried to herself.

XXXXXX

It was three days after Christmas before Marcia finally ran Jeff to ground. Faced with the option of either call-blocking her to stop the texts or agreeing to meet her, Jeff had chosen the latter course and they were meeting for lunch at a bar ten minutes walk from the college. The bar was almost empty, Jeff had ordered a scotch and Marcia a soda and lime. "This isn't a social visit, Jeff." She said when he raises an eyebrow in surprise.

"Okay, Marcia." He sighed, "what's all this about?"

"I want to warn you about the game you're playing with Annie and tell you to stop it."

"What? I'm not playing a game with Annie! She's a great girl and a friend who helps me out with study and homework but she's no more than that and I've never implied otherwise."

"Were you there at her birthday dinner, Jeff? Or do your study sessions always follow the 'stand up so I can see exactly how hot you are, I'm going to spend the rest of the session with my arm almost-but-not-quite draped across your shoulders and propose an amazing toast describing you as my perfect woman' pattern?"

"Dammit Marcia." Jeff was getting irritated now. "A couple of things. Firstly, Annie did look great - uncomfortably so, frankly - oh, and before we go further, just whose idea was it to wear that dress and heels combination for dinner, anyway? Don't you _dare_ tell me it was hers. I know Annie too well for that." Marcia shifted uncomfortably in her seat and didn't meet Jeff's glare.

"I'll take that as confirmation. And secondly I apologise if I got the wrong idea - from you - but I thought you invited me to help Annie feel a bit special on her birthday. Are you really beating me up because I followed your plan _too well_?"

Marcia was somewhat taken aback by the force of Jeff's counter-attack.

"Okay Jeff, maybe I didn't brief you well enough and maybe I overlooked just how awesome you are" - even Jeff couldn't miss the sarcasm in her voice - "but do you remember what you said at Halloween?"

Jeff stayed silent, forcing Marcia to continue.

"You said we couldn't assume that just because Annie has coped well with a challenging life that therefore she has the experience to handle predators."

"Yes, so?"

" _You're_ a predator, Jeff! And you can't even help it - it's your default mode! Even when you think you're being nice and platonic when girls like Annie look at you they see somebody out of a Twilight novel!"

"Low blow, Marcia," but Jeff had a lazy smile on his face and was looking her straight in the eyes.

"Oh, don't even think you can do it to me mister - if you're a sparkly vampire then I'm Buffy Summers."

Jeff chuckled softly at that. "Yeah, that's a crossover that needs to happen. Okay, so what exactly is your point, Marcia?"

"Look Jeff, here's the deal - what you probably haven't taken into consideration is that you're probably the first reasonably good looking -"

" _Very_ good looking."

"I'm talking now, pretty boy. The first _reasonably_ good looking guy since - well, pretty much ever - to treat Annie with even a little bit of kindness and respect. It's understandable that she's crushing hard on you right now -"

" _What?_ "

"Really, Jeff? You're going to try to pretend you haven't noticed?"

"Seriously Marcia, I haven't - either you're misreading her or she's really good at hiding it."

"Or you've got all the emotional sensitivity and awareness of a tree stump." Marcia snarked back at him, Jeff grinned back.

"As I was saying," Marcia continued, "Annie is crushing on you at the moment. Heck, I can even see a scenario where I'd be in favour - you're less of a jerk when she's around and she's less neurotic and wound up when you are, you seem to be good for each other, somehow - so if you were to be serious about it and willing to get in for the long haul I might even go along with it. If you show any sign of treating her as one of your disposable flings however, and feel you can just walk away and leave her behind with a broken heart, then _I will break you._

"Until you manage to achieve such an epiphany you need to ignore Annie's crush, continue being a friend and stop showing any interest in her, no matter how hot she looks at any given time. Just be kind, don't give any feedback and it'll fizzle out in time."

"There's no need for threats - that's pretty much what I was planning on doing anyway," said Jeff dryly. "But I'll bear it in mind. Are you sure she's crushing on me?"

"Yes Jeff, the pretty teenage girl with deep blue eyes and a big smile is crushing on you. Does that sufficiently massage your ego?"

"It'll do for now." He said dryly, draining the last of his Scotch. "Look - if the unpleasant bit is over, can I get you a proper drink and a lunch menu?"

"Hell, yes. If you're paying I'll have an Armagnac."

Jeff nodded his head in respect for the sophisticated choice and went to the bar.

When he got back, he placed Marcia's drink and a menu in front of her and took his seat. Then he held his drink up.

"Team Annie." He said.

"Team Annie." Marcia replied, clinking glasses.

XXXXXX

(New Year's Eve, Jeff was drinking at an exclusive bar that's having a fancy dress party to see in the new year, he's wearing his cowboy outfit.)

"Hey! You in the cowboy hat! Buy me a drink!" He turned around and smiled when he saw a familiar face.

"Professor Slater - long time, no see."

"Call me Michelle, Jeff. Where's that drink?"

When midnight came round, they kissed when the lights went out. They don't stop when they come back on, they barely did on the drive back to Slater's apartment or for much of the next day.

  


 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annie's date of birth is revealed to be 19 December 1990 in a freeze frame bonus in episode 6x03, "Basic Crisis Room Decorum." She never had a birthday episode on the show, so I've given her one now...


	9. First Amendment Rights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Annie finds Jeff has another.

Week 13

"So, how's your day been?" She said as he walked through the door.

"You remember yesterday somebody try to force his way into our study group then we threw him out? Well, today I decided to give him a second chance, only for him to decide he preferred a study group that contained Starburns and an Owen Wilson lookalike. I mean seriously - Owen Wilson?" He said. "And that's when I wasn't working as editor of the school paper - "

"We have a school paper now?"

"The dean has decided to relaunch the Greendale Gazette Journal Mirror and wanted me to edit it."

"And you agreed?" She sounded more than a little surprised.

"Hey, it comes with an office, a desk - a nice one - and an English credit. Ah, thanks." She handed him a Scotch and lowered herself into his lap, wrapping her arms sinuously around his neck.

"So, a typical Greendale day, then?" She started nuzzling at his neck while he sipped his scotch.

"It went well in the end." He smiled, and not just because she wasn't complaining as his hand ran up her thigh. "The volunteers at the paper are good kids, and being an editor might actually be fun."

Her hand was now running through his hair and her mouth was only inches from his. "So, is talking about school really the most interesting thing you can think of right now?"

He growled throatily and placed one arm under her thighs and the other across her shoulders, shifted his balance and stood up. She gasped with delight - he enjoyed demonstrating that his muscles were not just for show - and with effortless ease he carried her to the bedroom and practically threw her on the bed. Her eyes were on fire. "Make love to me, Jeff."

He was by her side. He pulled her head to him and kissed her, passionately. "Oh Michelle, you have no idea."

XXXXXX

Hours later, he jerked awake in the dark gasping with panic.

"Bad dream?" She said drowsily.

"Something like that, go back to sleep Michelle."

He lay awake, staring at the ceiling wondering how on earth he could possibly tell her that it was as far from a nightmare as he could get? He still saw the dream - which was as much of a memory as anything - as clear as day.

_Annie is looking at him with something very like adoration in her eyes. "It didn't even really occur to me what I was doing until I saw how upset you were, and I never want to be the reason you're mad. Because you're Jeff Winger." Then she starts to move forward, slim, delicate fingers undoing the buttons on her cardigan. As she leans over the desk, her hot lips part slightly, seeking his…_

And it was there that Jeff awoke. _You can't do this Winger. You're with Michelle and this is Annie you're dreaming about!_ But it was a long time before he fell asleep again.

XXXXXX

Week 14

Jeff was sitting in his office with his feet on the desk and holding the first draft of this week's paper in one hand and one of Abed's – Radar's – martinis in the other. There was a knock on the door, he looked up and smiled.

"Come in, Ace." Annie entered. "What can I do for you that can't wait five minutes for the editorial meeting?"

"It's about Danny and Kate," she said. They were the other two reporters on the paper, who the week before had "investigated" pizza deliveries and beer sales for Jeff. "You only have to be in the same room as them for two minutes to see they adore each other, but they're so shy they can barely say a word to each other. It's so sad."

Jeff looked over at Abed. "It's true Jeff. It's a classic trope – star-crossed lovers. They're desperately in love but are kept apart by their inability to talk to each other honestly about their feelings." Abed was suddenly looking intensely at both Jeff and Annie in a way that made them feel very uncomfortable.

Jeff shifted in his seat. "Well, I don't know what you expect me to do about it – this is a newspaper, not a dating agency." He sighed. "But let's get them in here and have the meeting."

Annie looked sad, but she popped her head round the door and called in Danny and Kate.

Once they were all seated, Jeff called the meeting to order. "First of all, what's everybody working on? You first, Ace."

Annie sat up straight in her seat. "I'm working on a series about the groups, cliques and secret societies who operate in the shadows and who control what's really happening around here."

"I like it," said Jeff with a big grin on his face. "It's dangerous, it's exciting. We'll call it-" he clicked his fingers twice as though lost in thought "-Gangs of Greendale. Yeah. Get me a first draft by the end of the week. If it's good, we'll make a double page centre spread pull-out with it." Annie grinned happily.

"Danny?"

"I've been monitoring the twitter feeds of Greendale staff and students. I thought maybe we could collect some of the best tweets and put them on the opinion pages."

"I can see it now – 'The wit and Wisdom of Greendale'. If you can get enough good ones we'll make a regular column of it, on the back page next to the crossword. Nice idea, kid."

"Kate?"

"I've got word of a scandal in the kitchens – chicken fingers are being misappropriated and sold privately to friends of the chef, which is why they always run out in the canteen."

"Everybody loves chicken fingers. If you can stand this up in the next couple of days we may have another front page lead."

"Radar?"

"The dean has asked us to run an advertisement promoting the Spring Formal he's organising for just over a month's time. I was planning on cutting some pictures and filler material in so it looks more like a feature and less like an advert."

" _Greendale_ is having a Spring Formal?" Jeff could barely believe his ears.

"If you turn up in appropriate attire you get a performing arts credit." Abed added.

Jeff grinned suddenly. "You can get credits for anything in this place. I'll have to get my Tux dry-cleaned then." Annie perked up noticeably. Jeff winked at her.

"The only other thing we need is a big consumer interest feature piece. So here's what I want – you two," he pointed at Danny and Kate. "Are going undercover. I want an investigation into the best and worst places in Greendale to eat for under, oh, twenty bucks a head – we can cover that on expenses can't we, Radar?" Abed nodded.

"Good. The nice places will be recommended to the student body and the bad places will be subjects of health and safety exposes. It's vital that these places do not catch on that you are reporters – this investigation has to be untainted by suspicion that you're getting favourable treatment. You're going to have to pretend to be two kids crazy about each other and out on a date, and you can't afford to let the disguise slip. I know this is a big ask, but can you do it?"

"Um, I think so Mr Winger." Danny said.

Kate just nodded, not quite able to meet his eyes.

"Okay, get out of here. I want a list of five likely restaurants by the end of the day."

Danny and Kate left the room. Jeff turned to Annie, who was grinning so hard it was threatening to split her face in two. "Awwww Jeff, that was so sweet!"

"I've no idea what you're talking about – it's an obvious follow-on to last week's pizza wars story." But Jeff was grinning almost as much.

XXXXXX

(The next day, Annie, Kate and Danny are in the newsroom. Danny is studying twitter feeds.)

"What the - ? This one's going viral!"

Annie and Kate came over to look over his shoulders.

The first tweet was from an account called "pierce_hawthorne@hawthornewipes"

And simply said – "Greendale's most closeted gay has a new beard – Jeff Winger is banging hot stats professor Michelle Slater!"

The number of re-tweets was going up faster than Danny could keep track. Annie's face went white.

XXXXXX

Annie didn't think she could face Jeff in Study Room B for their usual 4PM session, but she wasn't the sort of girl to just run away either, so she was compromising by sitting on the steps in front of the building with her arms wrapped around her knees. When Jeff arrived, he took one look at her and lowered himself down so he was sitting next to her, close but not close enough to touch.

"I'm guessing you heard, then?"

"I think everybody's heard, Jeff."

"Look, if it means anything, I didn't mean you to find out this way - actually, I didn't mean for anybody to find out this way, but especially not you."

Annie just looked at him with a neutral expression on her face. "Why especially not me, Jeff?"

Jeff didn't answer her directly. "Today has been beyond crazy. First of all, the dean dragged Michelle and I back to his office to fill out relationship notification forms - did you know he maintains a hotness register of staff and students? Apparently I'm number two and Michelle's seven."

"Who's number one?" Annie couldn't resist asking.

"It's the dean's list, he probably is." Jeff smiled and continued with his story. "But then when Michelle described our relationship as boyfriend/girlfriend and I described us as friends, she basically dumped me."

"I wonder why?"

"Your sarcasm's improving, Edison." Jeff said wryly. "But you're right. So I apologised to her, said I didn't care what label we used so long as the relationship itself didn't change, so now I'm officially somebody's boyfriend."

"Are you getting anywhere closer to answering my question yet, Jeff?" Annie's voice was still carefully devoid of any feeling.

"Because I think I may owe it to you that I'm doing this."

" _What_?" Annie's voice cracked slightly.

"I've always been afraid of feelings, and commitment, and relationships and labels and all that stuff - but it occurred to me if I can have a girl as a friend for months now without screwing it up or freaking out, then maybe I can handle having a girlfriend, you know?"

_Yay me_ , Annie thought to herself.

Jeff was finally starting to pick up on Annie's mood.

"We are going to be okay, aren't we, Edison? I really value your friendship and would hate it if this caused a problem."

_Of course I have a problem with it_! Annie wanted to scream. What she actually said was "Would you dump her if I said it was a problem and I asked you to?"

"You wouldn't." Jeff said with absolute certainty.

"Why not?"

He paused for a moment. "Because you're Annie Edison, and Annie Edison is better than that." He said simply.

_Damn you, Winger_. "Would you dump me if she asked you to?"

"No." This time the answer was immediate. _You didn't say she was better than that_ , Annie realised suddenly.

"Really?"

"Really. If my girlfriend can't handle me having a friend who's a girl then that's something we're going to have to talk about."

"And if she insists?"

"I'll talk her round – I'm Jeff Winger remember? I can talk _anybody_ round." He had his cocky grin back.

Annie couldn't help smiling too. "See what I mean?" He said. She punched him lightly in the arm. He went serious again. "So, are we okay?"

Annie looked at the expression on his face. _You're actually worried I'll say 'no', aren't you_? She realised. Annie suddenly found herself thinking of all the times that Jeff had talked about his previous… partners without it even occurring to him to consider her feelings and wondered what had changed. _Don't even go there, Annie._

"Yes, we're okay." She said, and even managed a convincing smile. Annie got up and started walking to the car park, Jeff followed her. "You'll probably need to know that Danny's writing this up as a story for the paper, though."

"I'll just have to spike it then."

"Not unless you want to produce next week's issue single handed you won't." Annie was smiling at him properly now.

"Who was that guy we learned about in Art Appreciation? The one who was tied to a post and pelted with arrows?"

"Saint Sebastian?"

"I know how he feels now."


	10. Interpersonal Relations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeff finds Annie has another.

Week 15

Britta had just run into Jeff in the Quad. "Missed you at lunch today. Did you slip out for a quickie with professor hot stuff?"

" Her name is Michelle, and how did you know?"

"There's a gold star on your fly."

Jeff looked down. "Ha! You weren't kidding. You know, it's nice to have a girlfriend with a sense of humour and who recognizes good work."

Jeff stopped dead and pulled Britta to a halt. Up ahead, Annie was with Vaughn and she was looking starstruck.

"You'd better be careful Jeff, your little friend has got eyes for someone else now."

Jeff wasn't happy. "Micro-nipples? Whatever. You know what I don't get? He never wears a shirt. He never wears shoes. He probably doesn't even shower. Why hasn't he died from lack of service?"

Britta looked up at him with a severely amused expression on her face. "You're jealous!"

"That's ridiculous Britta, she's just -"

"A friend. Yes Jeff, we've heard it all before. And if you tell yourself that often enough you might even believe it."

"It's got nothing to do with me Britta - she's a good kid and deserves better than that."

"He's not that bad."

"Yeah, not if you're a grown woman and you're fooling around with him - you can handle him. She's only 19, her taste in men is still being established. Creepier and creepier dudes will start thinking of her as an option, and it all starts with Vaughn. He's a gateway douche bag."

"Whatever gets you through the day Jeff - she's your friend, you're on your own on this one." Britta shook her head and walked away.

Jeff walked off in the other direction, fuming quietly to himself.

XXXXXX

(Study Room F, next morning)

Jeff was still churning over what to do about Vaughn and Annie as he walked through the door. He looked around the table and gave everyone a cheery greeting when it hit him. _Troy, of course_. He smiled to himself and settled down to the study session with good humour. At the end of the session he walked over to the younger man. "Troy, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure Jeff, what's it about?" Jeff threw a friendly arm around the football player's shoulder and led him away from the others. Abed and Britta looked at each other with surprised expressions on their faces.

"It's about my friend Annie, Troy. You do know she's had a crush on you since high school, right?"

Troy grinned, broadly. "Yeah dude, pretty much every chick did."

"Well, here's what I don't understand Troy. You're a super-hot guy -"

"Dude - I'm not sure I'm past the 'biceps, tight ass' thing yet…" Troy moved away slightly.

"Are you denying it Troy, as an objective statement of fact?"

Troy grinned. "Heck no, I can't do that."

Jeff grinned back. "As I was saying, you're a super hot guy with a great personality, and Annie's a super hot girl with a great personality, you kids really should get together."

"Annie? Super hot? I don't see it."

Jeff looks astonished. "Well, every other guy at Greendale does. You really don't see it?”

"Maybe it's because I knew her back in high school, before she dropped out. She was overweight, had braces and acne and a pill addiction and a nervous breakdown ending with her running through a plate-glass door screaming 'everyone's a robot!'"

Jeff nodded with understanding. "I see what's happening here. Troy - clear your head."

"Done."

"I'm going to describe to you a complete stranger." Jeff started whispering in his ear.

"Annie? No kidding!" Troy said. Jeff kept whispering. "Come on, man!"

Troy was sounding increasingly awestruck. "I can't believe I didn't see that. Well, I guess she deserves another shot. Oh, wait, Britta said she's hooking up with Vaughn."

_I thought you were staying out if this, Perry!_ Jeff said to himself.

"Only to make you jealous!" He said. "She's only hanging out with Vaughn to make you notice her! But you haven't got much time - he's a musician remember, he's already started writing songs for her."

"Yeah," Troy said. A faraway expression in his eyes. "Thanks for the talk, Jeff."

Jeff smiled. "Hey Troy, I didn't say anything - I only helped you see what was in front of you."

Troy wandered off.

"Oh Jeff, you're a very, very, bad man." Britta was walking up to him, wagging a finger as though scolding a naughty boy.

"Are you really going to tell me, of all people, that you're not seething with jealousy about Vaughn getting his hands on your debate-slash-make-out buddy?"

"Bite me, Britta. If I was jealous of Annie being with another guy would I really have locked and loaded Troy and fired him at her? Why is it so difficult to understand it's Vaughn I have a problem with?"

"You really are an exceptionally good liar, Jeff." Britta said. "I could almost swear you even manage to convince yourself sometimes."

XXXXXX

(Later that day, after Troy tries to hit on Annie, gets shot down in flames but Vaughn dumps her anyway after witnessing it.)

Annie was _livid_. Jeff was in the student lounge when she ran him to ground.

"Hey Jeff, thanks for getting involved in my love life! That was super cool and mature of you. Oh, and since you're clearly an idiot, I should probably let you know this is me being really good at sarcasm!"

"Annie? What…"

"Oh, don't even try to deny it Jeff – Troy spilled the beans after Vaughn dumped me!"

Despite the fury being directed at him, Jeff felt a twinge of relief. "Vaughn did what?"

"Oh you love that don't you, well I've got news for you mister – your little plot failed. I ran after him and he's forgiven me and agreed to take me back. So there!"

Jeff couldn't believe what he's just heard, he stood up and turned to face her. "I'm sorry – some guy hits on you, Vaughn gets jealous and dumps you, and _he_ gets to be the one who forgives _you_? What the hell, Annie?"

Annie ignored him and thrusts her face only inches from his. "Why, Jeff? Why did you do this? When you got with Slater I put aside any feelings I had about the situation and concentrated on supporting you, why couldn't you do the same for me? Isn't that what friends are supposed to do?"

Jeff's shoulders slumped slightly. _When all else fails, try the truth. Some of it, at least_. "It's because you're not the first of my friends he's dated."

"WHAT? You messed me around because that blonde… _friend_ " - she practically spat the word out - "of yours is jealous?"

"She isn't jealous and I didn't do it for Britta, I did it for you."

Annie was now standing with her arms crossed across her chest, an expression of deadly calm on her face. "This had better be good, Jeff. It had better be really good."

"Do you remember what happened when he dumped Britta?" Annie was silent. Jeff sighed and carried on.

"He wrote a song about it – 'Getting Rid of Britta'. He performed it at a free concert in the quad with half of Greendale watching and got them all singing along – Britta was humiliated. Worse, she couldn't go anywhere around here for days afterwards without someone humming that stupid tune. And that's not even the worst bit – he uploaded it on Youtube and it went viral. It got almost a quarter of a million hits – there are people in China and Africa who think 'Britta' is American slang for a crazy ex-girlfriend, Annie!” Jeff paused for emphasis before continuing.

"And do you know what she did to deserve this?" Annie shook her head.

"He wrote her a poem, she thought it was a bit intense and showed it to me asking if it looked like he was moving too fast. I showed it to Shirley –"

"The Sherri Sheppard lady." Annie muttered for some reason. Jeff refused to be distracted.

"- for a second opinion. And that was all, Annie! That was really it! _She shared a poem!_ Look, I'm sorry for sneaking around behind your back, I really am – but I really did not want 'Getting rid of Annie' to be the next Youtube sensation to come out of Greendale."

Annie was still silent.

"I'm sure he's a great guy when everything is going well," Jeff continued. "But if you're going to be involved with him you need to understand just how vicious he gets when things don't go well – and how easy it is for things not to go well."

Annie still didn't say anything. Instead she turned around and started walking away.

"Annie –"

She stopped walking, but didn't turn back to face him. "I need to think, Jeff. Then I need to see Vaughn." She resumed walking and left the lounge without turning back.

"What's everyone looking at?" Jeff said to the gathered audience.

XXXXXX

(That evening, after school)

Annie was walking back to her car with her head down, she was determined not to cry but didn't want anyone to see, just in case. As a result, she almost got to her car before she noticed a familiar figure leaning against it.

"What are you doing here, Jeff?"

"I know I'm probably not your favorite person at the moment, but you were right about one thing - I don't support you enough when you need it. This is me, here to support you if you need it. If you can't stand to have me around just yet, just say the word -"

Annie looked at him for a moment. "Go away, Jeff."

A hurt expression crossed Jeff's face for a moment, but he put his phone in his pocket, picked up his bag and started to walk away.

Annie sighed. "No, wait."

Jeff turned around, carefully keeping his expression as neutral as possible.

"I checked some things." She said. "And spoke to Abed - he confirmed pretty much everything you said. Then I went to speak to Vaughn."

She could feel her eyes start to prickle. _I am not going to cry! Not in front of him!_

"He was proud of it! He said music is how his soul talks to the world, or something like that and that he could never silence his music - and if I didn't understand that I was a robot with a clock for a soul! I'm not a robot, Jeff!"

Despite her best intentions, Annie couldn't keep the tears at bay. When he saw her start to cry, Jeff closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could.

"Take it from a guy who probably sold his long ago, but you've got the biggest soul of anyone I know, and anybody who says otherwise just doesn't know what it means to have one."

The floodgates opened. Annie buried her face in Jeff's chest and started crying her eyes out, great, gusting sobs of tears. Jeff was stiff with shock, he had no idea what to do with the heartbroken girl in his arms - in all his dealings with women in the past he had usually left the building long before the tears started. So instead he did and said nothing, just concentrated on holding on to Annie as long as she needed it and trying not to think of the mess she was probably making of his expensive shirt.

Eventually, the tears died down enough that Annie could try to form words.

"I really, really liked him, Jeff! I thought this was it, I was finally going to have a proper boyfriend - not somebody who was in denial about what he was or a stupid one sided crush!" Jeff flinched at that. _She's talking about Troy. She's got to be._

Jeff still didn't have a clue what to say, so he gently patted the back of her head instead.

"What is it about me? I must be the most pathetic person in the world to -"

"No."

Annie looked up in surprise. Jeff had finally found something to say.

"You're the girl who, when other girls were mocking you and flirting with football players, walked through Hell and came out the far side still somehow believing in the fundamental decency of humanity. You're the girl who, when fate took all your dreams and plans and tore them to shreds, picked up the pieces and wove a new pattern out of them that was entirely your own making. You're the girl who allows losers, misfits and frauds into your life and makes them think that, because you believe they can be good people they're allowed to believe it too. You're Annie Edison, and you're the least pathetic person I know."

Annie started to smile through her tears. "That's what they call a Winger Speech, isn't it?"

Jeff smiled back. "All yours, milady. Free to a good home." Jeff relaxed his grip and the two of them separated slightly.

Annie looked seriously at Jeff. The sobs had stopped and her eyes were dry. "I don't know if I can forgive everything you did yet, but I'm glad you were here for me tonight and I'm glad you're my friend. Thanks Jeff." Annie closed in for another hug, a proper one this time.

"Thanks, Annie." They separated.

Annie moved towards her car. "See you tomorrow, Jeff."

"See you tomorrow, Edison."

XXXXXX

(Later that evening)

Jeff arrived at Slater's apartment. "Hi Jeff - what on earth happened to your shirt?"

Jeff looked down with a rueful grin. "My friend Annie has just had a nasty breakup - a really nasty one. She needed someone to hold her while she cried her eyes out, I was the closest and my shirt took the brunt of it."

Michelle Slater was neither stupid nor naive, and although she said nothing she had a pretty good idea of just how long and how close the other woman - girl, really - would have to hang on to Jeff to make that much mess with tears.

She had a headache that night.

XXXXXX

(The next day)

Jeff, Troy and Abed were walking across the Quad heading for the gym. They heard somebody start singing –

"Little robot Annie,

Has a clock for a soul.

Would sooner write a schedule

Than dance to rock and roll!"

"Excuse me for a minute, guys." Jeff pivoted on the spot and stormed off in the direction of the music. Abed and Troy looked each other in the eye, nodded and followed him.

"Stay away from me Annie,

With your little clock –"

Jeff had reached Vaughn and was standing over him, face pale with rage. "hiya, good day, nice to –" Vaughn said, just as Jeff ripped the guitar out of his hands and proceeded to smash it to pieces on the ground.

"NOT COOL, DUDE!" Vaughn screamed as he jumped to his feet and confronted Jeff.

Jeff wasn't backing down. "Listen to me, micro-nipples!" He said. "Your Annie privileges are over – if I so much as hear a rumour that you are writing, speaking, singing, expressing through interpretive dance or _miming_ anything even slightly disrespectful about her again it won't be your guitar that gets broken next time. Do you understand?"

"What do you want us to do with this guy, Vaughn?" The other hackeysack players had got up and were starting to gather around Jeff.

"Are you okay, Jeff?" Troy and Abed had arrived. Vaughn saw his buddies hesitate.

" _Do you understand?_ " Jeff hissed again.

"Sure dude, everything's fine. Bye, seeya, lates." Vaughn backed off and left with his buddies.

Jeff breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks guys."

"No problem, papa wolf." Abed said. "That's what friends are for, right?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another chapter that caused me no end of grief. The reason is simple enough - I've tended to write chapters out of order as inspiration hits, and the Tranny Dance chapter in particular got written very early, with the default assumption at that point that Annie would be in a relationship with Vaughn. Then, when it came to write this chapter, I couldn't make it work. In particular I could think of no sensible reason why a desperate Jeff would not bring up the whole "Getting Rid of Britta" thing and use it to paint Vaughn's attitude towards women in the blackest possible way, and that Annie would not want to be with a guy who treats women that way. So that's what I ended up writing. That left me with a whole bunch of already written chapters that either needed extensive rewriting or throwing out and starting again. As to why he didn't do it on the show? Dunno. Maybe because he was tag-teaming with Britta instead of going solo and she didn't want to be reminded of it, or maybe the scriptwriters just forgot, or maybe they ignored it because they wanted Annie with Vaughn. Hopefully you all agree that the way I've done it here works in the context of this timeline.


	11. Comparative Martyrology

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeff ponders the real meaning of Valentine's Day.

 

Week 16

(Monday, student lounge.)

_Interesting_ , Abed thought to himself. _This usually happens in the editor's office. I wonder if the change of venue means anything? Trying to keep an old trope fresh by changing the setting, perhaps._

Jeff was sitting a couple of tables away from where Abed was standing at the vending machine buying raisinettes, ostensibly reading a coursebook but actually pretending not to notice Annie had walked up to him and was clutching a backpack under her chin. Abed had noticed a recurring pattern in the Jeff/Annie dynamic recently - Annie had a tendency to get overexcited about mundane things and this tended to irritate most people she talked to, however it merely seemed to amuse Jeff so he had been getting an increasing share of such moments. Last time it was a puppy calendar she was absurdly excited about getting half-price because there are only 11 months left in the year ("they're soooo cute, Jeff!") - this week it appeared to have something to do with the bag she's holding. Abed was developing a theory as to why this is, but he wasn't ready to share it yet so he decided to hang around to gather more evidence.

"Huh-hum!" Annie coughed, fakely. Jeff pretended not to hear.

"HUH-HUM!" She fake-coughed more loudly.

"Oh, hi Edison." Jeff gave her a cheery smile.

"Do you notice anything new about me, Jeff?"

Jeff furrowed his brow in concentration. "Are you wearing a new hairband?"

"No - well, yes I am," Annie did a bob and flashed a happy smile that he noticed. "But that's not what I'm talking about."

Jeff looked again. "Sorry, not seeing it."

"Aw, Jeff!" If anything, she’d thrust her bag even higher.

Jeff decided he's teased her for long enough, and besides he's pleased he scored a hit with the hairband thing - it really was just a lucky guess.

"Is it the bag, Edison?"

"Oh Jeff, it's perfect!" she sat herself down on the couch next to Jeff who adjusted his position slightly to make room for her. "I researched for weeks before finding it - It's got a pocket for my notebooks, another for my pens, I can put my first aid kit in this pocket here -"

Honestly, Jeff looked like he wasn't paying much attention to the detail of what Annie was saying - he merely looked happy that his friend was so happy. _Interesting_ , Abed thought to himself. _It usually takes him a special effort to even notice other people's emotions, never mind care about them. Another piece of the puzzle falls into place._

XXXXXX

It was the weekly editorial meeting in Jeff's office.

"I love it Kate - we'll put it on the front page and headline it, ahh 'STAR-GATE.'" Kate had finished her story investigating the chicken finger scandal and had enough evidence implicating Starburns that Jeff is ready to run with it.

"Is that referencing the 1994 film starring Kurt Russell or the 1997 TV series starring Richard Dean Anderson? Because I'm not sure what the connection is." Abed said.

Jeff was struck dumb for a moment. "Er, the 1972 political scandal Abed." When Abed still looked uncertain, he added "'All the President's Men'?".

Abed nodded. "Gotcha Jeff."

"Right, moving on…" Jeff said. "This story -" he held up an article with the headline 'TENSE CONFRONTATION IN QUAD' which was basically a write-up of Jeff's encounter with Vaughn the previous Friday.

"Seriously guys, I let you have the twitter storm story - am I around here to edit the paper or generate content for it?"

"If you think that's bad, you should see what Annie's entry is in this week's instalment of the "Gangs of Greendale" series." Muttered Danny.

Jeff looked over at Annie, who was blushing with embarrassment.

"Let me have it, Ace."

"Are you sure you need to see it, Jeff?" She asked.

Jeff didn't bother to answer, he just raised an eyebrow and held out a hand to Annie. She passed over a print out. "Edison, what the -?" Jeff said as soon as he saw the headline 'THE GREENDALE SIX - the most notorious study group on campus.'

"I'm not sure you realise how infamous you guys are getting." Annie said, somehow managing to sound timid and defiant at the same time.

"What do you think, Radar?" Jeff asked, hoping for some backing from Abed.

"She's got a point, Hawkeye." He said instead. "We have enough wacky adventures to fill out a TV series."

"I know, Abed." Jeff muttered. "You're shooting it, remember?"

"Okay then," Jeff continued. "New editorial policy - a maximum of one Winger story a week in the paper." He pulled out a coin. "Heads - it's the quad fight. Tails - the gang feature." He tossed the coin, everybody watched as the coin landed on the desk.

"Tails it is. Congratulations Ace, it's your week - what the heck!" The Greendale Human Being had just walked in.

"It's got arrows now? That's safe." Jeff observed as it handed out a rose to Kate and a teddy bear to Danny.

"Who are they from, kids?"

"Valentine's gifts are supposed to be anonymous, Mr Winger." Danny said, but nobody could miss the way the two of them were staring at each other with soppy smiles on their faces. However Jeff also noticed the way Annie was trying to be happy for them but failing. _That's my fault_. He thought suddenly as he saw the stricken expression on Annie's face. _Even a crappy boyfriend on Valentine's Day is better than no boyfriend at all sometimes._

"Okay - you, scram!" He said to the human being. "And the rest of you, meeting over. I've got to go - the least I can do is warn the rest of my study group they're going to be in the paper." Jeff got up and headed out himself. He followed the human being down the corridor and, when he was sure he wasn't being followed, stopped it.

"Hey - I need to place an urgent order…"

XXXXXX

(Spanish class, Thursday)

"In Español, the gallo says 'kikiriki, kikiriki, kikiriki...'"

The human being knocked on the door.

"What? I'm teaching!" Chang screamed at the mascot. Undeterred, it entered the room and handed out some presents - a bunch of roses to Annie, a box of chocolates to Pierce and a stuffed toy to Troy. Annie did a happy bounce accompanied by a little squee of surprise, but the guys looked much less surprised.

"Aha! I knew you were holding back." Pierce gloated.

"Aw! It's from the girl I'm dating." Troy said. "Yeah, I met her in biology, she was looking for geology and misread the sign. 'Yeah,' I said, 'we don't study countries in here.' Yeah, she's, she's dumb, but sweet."

Pierce started talking too. "Mine's from Danielle. She's a lovely lady in my marketing class. We're sleeping together."

"They sound like very lucky ladies." Shirley said, somewhat uncertainly.

Troy didn't know when to shut up. "Yeah, they're not made up."

Chang had had enough of the show, he started walking towards them holding his hands in front of him as though he's gripping an imaginary gadget. "Beep, beep. Oh, my god, what's going on? Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep. My bullcrap meter's going crazy!" He was now standing between Troy and Pierce. "Beep, beep, beep, beep, beepbeepbeep- Oh-ho! It's these presents you've obviously sent to yourselves to make it look like you have girlfriends."

"That's ridiculous!" Pierce tried to deny it.

"This is obviously your handwriting, Mr. Tremor!" Chang snapped back. "And yours is signed, 'love, Troy'! I tell you, this is the most pathetic thing I've ever seen in this classroom." The rest of the class was now openly laughing at them - except for Shirley, who was staring at Chang with a face like thunder.

"Hey!" Shouted Pierce, who was red faced with humiliation. "You didn't aim your meter at Big Boobs's flowers!" Annie yelped with indignation and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Oh really?" Said Chang. "Let's try that, shall we."

"Beep Beep." He walked towards Annie. "Beep." The beeps got slower and quieter.

He was practically standing over her desk. "beeep…" Long pause. "Bip". Silence.

He looked at the label - " 'From an admirer' " He read it out. "And in a distinctly _mano masculina_!"

Annie was looking both embarrassed at all the attention and pleased Chang hadn't accused her of faking.

"LOO-OSERS!" Chang was back to pointing at Pierce and Troy. "Even Princess Gringa is doing better than you!" Annie humphed with disdain.

At the end of the class, Jeff tried to talk to Britta, but she refused to look him in the eye and practically ran away. Jeff shrugged and sauntered out of the classroom.

Joelle had come over to see Annie's flowers. She looked at the label, turned it over but can't see anything other than what Chang read out.

"Do you know who they're from, Annie?"

"I have a couple of ideas." Annie was looking at Jeff's retreating back, she had a smile on her face.

XXXXXX

(Cafeteria, lunchtime - Jeff tried to talk to Britta in the lunch queue but she's still acting weird around him. When Britta heads over to sit with Shirley Jeff decides she needs more space so he goes to sit with Annie instead.)

"Hiya Edison, room for one more?" The table was empty apart from Annie.

"Of course there is, Jeff." Annie smiled at him.

Jeff looked around. "Where are your flowers?"

"In a storeroom in a bucket of water until going home time. They'll be safe there."

"That's my Annie, every base covered." Jeff had got his lazy smile back. Annie tried not to blush at the 'my Annie' line.

"Thanks for the flowers, Jeff. You didn't have to do that." Annie had a particularly warm smile on her face.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Edison." Jeff is a very good liar, but even he can't quite keep a smug look off his face.

"Jeeee-eeefff - this is me…." Annie dialled the doe eyes up to eleven. _Ye gods, she can do it at will, now!_ Jeff thought to himself.

"Edison, can I tell you a story? A strictly imaginary one?" Annie didn't say anything, but she nodded at him to continue.

"Let's say there's this strictly hypothetical guy. He's usually a really great guy, but he knows this equally hypothetical girl, who's almost as awesome as he is most of the time. Let's say this guy - hypothetically speaking - was worried that he hadn't treated the girl as well as she - hypothetically - deserves recently. Let's also say that hypothetically speaking he got the idea that the least he could do to show her how sorry he was was by making sure she didn't go without roses on Valentine's Day, what would you think the hypothetical girl's most likely reaction would be?"

Jeff still had the lazy smile on his face, but Annie knew him well enough by now that she could see his body language had tightened up sufficiently that, combined with the suddenly intense look in his eyes, it was clear he was very interested indeed in what Annie's answer would be.

Annie paused for a moment to gather her thoughts - and, frankly, to make Jeff suffer a little - "I think, hypothetically speaking, she'd be a fool not to be very touched by the gesture." She smiled across the booth at him.

Almost imperceptibly, Jeff's body language relaxed.

Annie was starting to worry the conversation may be heading into dangerous waters, so she changed the subject.

"Have you managed to annoy your study group again, Jeff?" She nodded at Shirley and Britta, who were staring at Chang gnaw at his food like a wild animal.

"What?" The change in direction had taken Jeff by surprise. "Oh, no. You remember how, most of last semester, I was trying to get together with Britta but she made a big deal of only wanting to be friends?"

"It was kind of difficult to miss, Jeff."

Jeff grinned ruefully in acknowledgement. "Well last night, miss lets-just-be-friends drunk-dialled me and left a message on my answering service. A really intimate message."

"Oh!" Annie was blushing slightly now.

"Yeah. And now she's really embarrassed about it and can barely stand to talk to me. Abed thinks it's like one of those sitcoms where one character sees another naked and the only way to restore the balance is for the other one to see the first naked too."

"So, does that mean you have to let Britta see you naked?"

"Ha! Only if she asks nicely." Jeff was visibly amused by the idea, but swiftly went serious.

"It's getting to be a problem though - she really isn't comfortable around me and won't listen when I tell her it's no big deal."

"Well you obviously need to humiliate yourself somehow so she has power over you again, or something."

"Easier said than done. Do you have any ideas?"

Annie's expression changed to one of incredulity. " _Me_? I can help you with Spanish prepositions or renaissance art, but making women like you is supposed to be _your_ superpower Jeff. Try Abed - he diagnosed your problem, he might be able to come up with a solution."

Jeff nodded ironically at Annie. "You're too good at false modesty, Edison - that's still a better idea than anything I've come up with. Well, no time like the present," Jeff slipped out of his seat and did a small but elaborate bow. "See you around, milady." And headed off.

XXXXXX

(That night)

Annie was roused from her slumber by the ring tone on her phone. She picked it up, looked blearily at the screen and saw two things "4:02AM" and "Jeff Winger". _This had better be good, Jeff._ She thought to herself.

"Jeff, what's the emergency?"

" _Eddy - Ed - Annie, whachya doin' answerin' Britta's phone?_ "

"I'm not, Jeff - you must have dialled a wrong number."

The phone went silent for a moment, then she heard his voice from a distance, as though he was holding his phone in front of him to see the screen.

" _Ohno norra 'gain_." He said for some reason that made no sense to Annie.

"Jeff, are you drunk?"

" _err….. No?_ "

"Jeeeeff…"

" _Kinda, a bit. Ab- Abed's idea_."

As if on cue, a distant voice piped up. " _Did you gerrit right thiztime Jeff?_ "

" _Shh!_ " Jeff giggled drunkenly. " _He thinks you're Britta, Annie - oops!_ " He said as Abed boos in the background.

Although she knew she should be annoyed, Annie couldn't help a small smile. It went away when Jeff spoke again though.

" _You know I bought the flowers, ri_ '?" They were in a vase on her dressing table.

"Of course I do Jeff, didn't we go through this?"

" _Thought I was being sma- smart._ " He paused for a moment. " _Didn't just buy 'em to say sorry. Bought 'em bec- because_ -" He seemed to run out of words. Annie felt a chill run up her spine.

"Jeff," she said very carefully, "you have a girlfriend."

" _Know that. Michelle's great, makes me feel happy. Not easy to do that._ "

Annie had no idea what to say.

" _But your my Annie_ " - that phrase again - " _feels like shu - should be importan' that I_ -" His voice sounded miserable, now.

_"Feel like should say -_ " Jeff was suddenly cut off and replaced by a new voice.

" _HIYA Annie! Nice to hearya!_ " Drunk Abed sounded crazy. " _Jeff needs call Britta now - say g'bye Jeff!_ "

" _G'bye Jeff!_ " Jeff said, followed by drunken laughter.

"Goodbye guys," Annie said, but the phone had already gone dead. What was he about to say?

XXXXXX

(Spanish class, next day)

"Turn to page - whoa. Looks like the law firm of Seacrest and Slumdog's taking the day off." Chang had just noticed Jeff and Abed were not in class. After the drunk dialling, Annie wasn't surprised in the slightest. Before he could continue, the human being walked in with a delivery.

"Ooh!" Said Chang. "Another special delivery from Troy and Pierce's Imaginary lovers?"

The human being waved a letter at him. "Wait a minute - oh! That one's for me."

"It's from professor Slater! She's fed up of having a boyfriend who spends more on beauty products than she does and she wants a real man to accompany her to the Valentine's Dance!"

"Ooh!" Shirley piped up excitedly. "Maybe that's why Jeff isn't here!"

Chang turned on her.

"You did this? You really thought I'd fall for this, huh? Is this your pathetic attempt to punish me for humiliating your friends?"

"But -" Shirley tried to speak, Chang wouldn't let her.

"Save it! As punishment, you will escort me to the Valentine's Dance wearing an elegant full-length ballgown!"

"Yeah, right!" Shirley sneered.

"You'll do it - or you'll fail my class."

"You can't do that!"

"Have you met me? I mean it. Tonight, you are my bitch!"

Shirley had had enough. She stood up, and walked towards Chang and thrust her face into his until they were only inches apart.

"Have you met _me_ , mister? Accidents happen to crazy little men who call me a bitch - accidents like having the backs of their heads grabbed and their faces pushed through the nearest jukebox!"

"Wooo-ooo!" Chang has an almost ecstatic expression on his face.

"Now here's the deal _el tee-gray_ " Shirley continued. "you get one dance tonight, and everybody walks away happy, passing their courses and without faces being shoved into Jukeboxes. Deal?"

"One dance, and I pick the outfit!" Chang said.

"Two dances and _I_ pick the outfit." Shirley replied. "Deal?"

"Deal!" Chang replies.

XXXXXX

(Abed's dorm room, 3PM, Jeff and Abed are finally coming round.)

"Abed, Abed!" Jeff cried out. He pulled a surgical mask off his face and tried to attract Abed's attention. Abed is so hungover he can't even remember The Breakfast Club. "Did I call Britta? Where's my phone?"

Abed picked it up. "Got it. You made three outgoing - one to Britta, one to your girlfriend, and one to Annie."

"I don't remember any of them!" Jeff said. _And why the heck would I be drunk dialling Annie?_ He thought as a chill ran down his back.

"Neither do I." Said Abed. "And I don't remember the name of the girl In The Breakfast Club. Mary.

Margaret. Molly Ringworm. You broke me." He finished sadly.

XXXXXX

Jeff and Abed barely made it to the last study group session of the day, though Jeff was at least relieved to see that Britta appeared to be back to normal, and he thought he did a good job of covering for the fact he didn't remember anything about the call. He was in no shape to do any actual studying though before he finished up and headed back to his apartment for a - very - hot shower and to change into a suit for the evening's dance.

Annie was wearing her red dress again and was dancing happily with the other volunteers who helped put the hall together when she saw him arrive with a big bunch of flowers. He tried to talk to Slater, but at first she refused to stop dancing and then she walked out of the room. Annie apologised to the others and walked over to Jeff.

"Hi Jeff."

"Oh, hi Edison." He had the barest ghost of a smile on his face.

"Is everything okay?"

Jeff sighed. "Michelle found out about all the drunk dialling stuff and is upset that I'm trying to make things right with Britta." He hesitated for a moment.

"Speaking of which, according to my phone I called you last night." Annie didn't say anything.

"Look, erm - " Jeff continued. "I didn't say anything stupid or hurtful or anything did I?"

Annie smiled. "No Jeff, it's okay - you just apologised for getting a wrong number and then Abed made you hang up, that's all."

Jeff's shoulders slumped slightly with relief. "Thanks, Edison. Look, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm already in the doghouse, and If Slater catches me talking to you, especially looking like that -" Jeff did a brief, full length scan of Annie with a rueful smile on his face "- I'll never get out of it."

Annie smiled back at him. "I understand, Jeff." She leant forward and gave him a quick hug. "I hope it all works out."

Thanks, Edison." Annie turned and walked back to the dancing.

It's therefore with more than a few mixed feelings she saw Jeff's blonde friend arrive a few minutes later - also in a red dress, but one much shorter and tighter than Annie's. _She looks amazing_ , Annie thought to herself as the blonde made a beeline for Jeff. They talked for a few minutes, then Slater returned, still looking elegant and professional. Annie watched the three of them face off, then the blonde hugged Jeff and he left with Slater.

_That's the sort of league he's used to playing in._ Annie said to herself sadly. _Real women - I was dreaming to think he might be interested in what a girl like me could offer._ She willed herself to smile at her friends and get back into the group dance as the blonde sashayed over to an awestruck Troy and pulled him into a dance.


	12. Introductory Geography

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a journey is undertaken, secrets shared, and a choice made.

Week 17

Joelle liked maths. Maths is honest and straightforward, it has answers that are clearly right or wrong and not a matter of opinion. It was why she signed up to professor Slater's Advanced Statistics class, and why she was waiting outside the professor's office first thing in the morning to ask her a question about her coursework assignment. This was not something she talked about much with her friends however as, even if they found maths to be interesting (they don't) Annie found anything to do with professor Slater to be a somewhat painful topic. Still, here she was waiting in the hall outside the professor's office, watching as she walked down the corridor with Jeff. Even Joelle, who was sometimes poor at noticing such things, can see why they're usually regarded as the most attractive couple on campus. As they came into range, she started overhearing snatches of their conversation.

"Oh, look! The human being has a little human with it - How blood curdlingly adorable." Jeff joked.

"Jeff - we need to talk." Slater said.

Jeff smiled. "What's wrong? Are you breaking up with me? Oh." His smile disappeared as he realised what Slater was getting at. She laughed however.

"Oh - maybe we don't need to talk!"

And just like that, she pivoted on a heel and walked away leaving a stunned Jeff staring at her. Joelle put her head down and also walked away before she was spotted.

As she went she pulled out her phone, scrolled down the contact list until the number she was looking for came up and sent a message.

_**Annie where r u? We need 2 talk RIGHT NOW. JoL** _

XXXXXX

Annie was almost grateful to miss Spanish class because there simply wasn't enough room for all the students without families to fit in the room as well as the families who had come along for family day - it meant she can sit in the corridor outside class and process the news Joelle gave her while she pretended to read her astronomy coursebook.

_Jeff's been dumped, he'll need a friend to help get him past this,_  was her first thought, closely followed by the rather more selfish _I need to get to him before the blonde does_. Annie stamped down - hard - on that thought, but it didn't quite go away.

The class ended, and Annie put her book down as she saw Jeff leave the classroom with the strange old man who had yet to exchange more than half a dozen words with Annie's actual face.

"If you come to the barbeque - and I know you'd never think of touching her - maybe you could say a couple of cool things about me?" The old man said.

"You want me to wingman you with your ex-step-daughter? I'm sorry. I've got a - thing." Jeff said, he spotted Annie, who was standing up and coming towards him.

"-and here she is. Hiya, Edison, you ready to do our thing?" Pierce's shoulders slumped slightly as he turned away.

"What was all that about, Jeff?" Annie asked him. Jeff told her about Pierce's step-daughter. Annie was somewhat bewildered at Jeff's attitude.

"You can't holster it for a friend?"

"Please, Pierce is barely a friend. And he's no more related to that girl than you are, and he was a total jag about shutting me down."

"How much effort do I rate?" Annie had dialled up the doe eyes and half-smile.

"For you? Um, I'd break a light sweat, maybe a moderate one on a warm day."

"Good," Annie's half smile was now a full one as she did a happy bob. "I need a favour - I don't have any family coming today and I really don't want to spend the day being reminded of that while the rest of Greendale plays Happy Families, so I want to get out, but I don't want to do it on my own. Will you come with me? Unless you've got family coming of course…"

Jeff half smiled at her and shook his head wryly. "You're becoming dangerous, Edison - it's those doe eyes. Disappointing you is like choking the little mermaid with a bike chain." Jeff had turned around and was walking away. "But I could do with blowing this place too. Meet me in the car park in half an hour."

XXXXXX

(Car park, half an hour later)

Jeff had changed. Instead of the all black outfit he was wearing earlier, he now had on designer jeans, a white shirt and a tan jacket, oh and sunglasses. Annie's heart fluttered slightly as he smiled and took them off as she walks up.

"So Edison, what is it you've got planned for us?"

"Well, I was thinking of going to the park for a picnic…"

Jeff shuddered with distaste. "If you really want to do this, then I get to decide where we're going." Jeff said, "And it won't be for a picnic in Greendale park."

"Then what do you have in mind?" Said Annie.

"Cutter's Creek."

Annie's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "The ski resort?"

Jeff grinned. "Don't panic Edison – we won't be doing any actual skiing. It's no Aspen or Vail, but it's in a scenic location, has a few nice bars and restaurants and a small high street if you want to go shopping. Most importantly it's only an hour's drive away so we should be there in time for lunch."

Annie smiled at him. "I'm game if you are."

"Of course you are Edison."

They reached Jeff's car, Jeff unlocked it and put his sunglasses back on as they got in. As he pulled out of the car park, Annie fiddled with the dial on the radio until she got some contemporary pop music. Jeff winced in pain, Annie grinned at his expression. Jeff put on a stern tone of voice.

"Edison," he said. "Driver picks the music. And as I'm driving a high performance car into the mountains, I have a beautiful girl –" wolfish grin "- in my passenger seat and I'm wearing sunglasses, the soundtrack is going to be classic rock."

He grabbed hold of the dial and spun it hard away from the station Annie had picked until he found the one he wanted. He paused for a second to listen to what he had found and grinned. "Perfect!"

_Get your motor runnin'_

_Head out on the highway._

_Lookin' for adventure_

_And whatever comes our way!_

Annie put on a theatrically pained expression, but she was smiling inside as she saw Jeff nod along to the music and she felt the Lexus start to accelerate hard as it hit the open road.

They hit the mountains to Stairway to Heaven, Bohemian Rhapsody and Daydream Believer got them through almost ten miles of winding roads and hairpin bends, Nights in White Satin, Satisfaction and House of the Rising Sun got them through the back half of the journey, and by the time they crossed the last ridge line and Don McLean brought them into sight of Cutter's Creek even Annie was singing along –

_Bye, bye Miss American Pie –_

_Drove my chevvy to the levee_

_But the levee was dry!_

_Them good ole boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye_

_This'll be the day that I die!_

XXXXXX

As promised Jeff took Annie to lunch first, at a pleasant little cafe with an open air terrace overlooking an ice rink. Jeff ordered a chicken salad, Annie a burger and fries. They suppressed grins when the food arrived and the waitress attempted to give Annie the salad and Jeff the burger and dismissed her profuse apologies. The conversation over the meal consisted of amiable trivia - Annie would occasionally attempt to probe his feelings over the split, only to be effortlessly diverted by an amusing anecdote, or his somewhat skewed approach to breakups.

"Seriously, Jeff, you need to let it all out." Annie had said.

Jeff relaxed in his seat with a soft smile. "Honestly, Edison - there's nothing to let out, I'm just glad I didn't have to do the dumping. I mean, then I'd have to lay low for three weeks to look sensitive and to avoid questions of overlap. But as the dumpee-" he smirked "- I can start making out with every girl around right now. And all anyone will feel for me is sympathy."

"Ew! Not anymore!" Annie had an appalled expression on her face.

"Sorry, Edison." Jeff was smirking openly now.

Annie continued to pretend to be disgusted for Jeff's sake, but internally she wasn't buying it for a moment. _That may be what you want me to believe mister, but I know you - and when Joelle said you looked like you'd been kicked in the stomach I believed her._

"Do you want to have a go?" The meal was winding up and Jeff had noticed Annie was looking with some curiosity at the skaters.

"Isn't it dangerous?"

Jeff raised an amused eyebrow - "what, sliding along rock hard ice with razor sharp knives strapped to your feet? Nothing could be safer." Jeff stood up suddenly. "Come on - I'll show you."

Jeff led her over to the ticket booth and hired boots for the pair of them and led Annie towards the ice.

"If you've never done this before, just hang on to me and you'll be perfectly safe." He said. As Jeff put his arm around her shoulders a treacherous part of Annie wondered just how many other girls Jeff had used this as an excuse to pull them close, but then her feet shot out from under her and only the sudden tightening of Jeff's grip on her shoulders prevented her from crashing. _Concentrate, Annie!_ She muttered to herself.

"Careful, Edison!" Jeff concentrated at first on just getting her to stand still, then slowly pushing off to start moving. After a few minutes, he felt it was safe enough to loosen his grip slightly to allow Annie more freedom of movement and to allow her to pick up the pace a little - she was still stopping mainly by crashing into him or the barriers, although she always picked herself up with a determined expression and got straight back on the ice. _Of course she would_. Jeff suddenly thought.

After almost an hour of this, Annie had a request to make.

"I'd like to try a couple of circuits on my own if you don't mind, Jeff." She said. "Completely on my own?" She said as Jeff let go of her but made no other move.

"Are you sure, Edison?" Annie nodded. "Well, I wouldn't mind a break anyway - knock yourself out, metaphorically speaking of course." Annie smiled at Jeff as he skated to the edge of the rink and stepped off, taking up a position casually leaning on the barrier fence. She waved, and slightly unsteadily, pushed off.

Jeff couldn't help but smile as he saw Annie start to pick up speed. She did a full circuit without any problems, letting out a delighted "wheee!" noise as she flew past Jeff the first time. As she was about halfway round the second circuit however, it started to go wrong. _She's going too fast to make the bend_ , Jeff realised just as Annie's feet shot out from under her and she landed on her rear before sliding backwards into the barrier fence. Jeff was already starting to move towards the ice when he felt a hand gently but firmly grip his arm. He looked down with surprise to see a grey haired lady with a kind face had taken hold of him.

"She's okay," said the old lady - Annie, after her initial shock, was rocking with laughter as she realised the ridiculousness of her situation - "and my grandson is almost there." Jeff saw a kid who couldn't be more than fourteen years old skate up to Annie. "Will you let him be her rescuer?"

Jeff looked the old lady square in the eyes, then back across the ice. He found himself relaxing as the kid extended a hand to Annie then brace himself against the ice as she flashed him a brilliant smile, took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She didn't let go as he led her back to where Jeff and his grandmother were waiting.

"Your girlfriend seems like a lovely young lady. You must feel very lucky." The old lady said warmly.

"Oh, she's n-" suddenly, Jeff realised he didn't want to finish that sentence. "Yes she is," he said instead. "And yes I am. Don't tell her I said that though." He said with a trace of his old cocky grin on his face. The old lady didn't laugh. Instead she looked at him sharply, with eyes that seemed to see right inside him. "You are allowed to tell her, you know." She said quietly. "You will only hurt yourself if you don't."

Jeff was speechless with shock. _What the hell, lady_ -

"Hey, Jeff!" Annie had come back before he could react. "Say hi to Tommy."

"Hi Tommy - thanks for bringing my Annie back." He put on a smile and forced himself to be the cool guy again. "Hey - do you have a phone?"

"Erm, yes sir?" The boy looked uncertainly at his grandmother, who dug his phone out of her bag and passed it to Jeff.

Jeff opened up the camera app. "Okay you two - smile." Annie threw an arm around the boy's shoulders and beamed. The boy look somewhat more stunned. Jeff took the picture.

"Here you go kid," he handed the camera back. "When you tell your friends you saved the prettiest girl in Colorado from a nasty skating accident and they refuse to believe you, show them that picture."

"Wow - thanks sir!"

"It was nice meeting you Tommy, but we've still got places to see and things to do - are you ready, Annie?" Annie nodded.

Jeff turned to the old lady. "Ma'am, it was interesting."

She looked at him straight in the eyes. "It was, and thank you - but just think about what I said please?" Jeff had no intention of doing any such thing, but nodded gravely anyway.

"That was sweet." Annie said warmly as they were walking back to hand in their boots.

Jeff shrugged. "It didn't cost me anything and made the kid's day."

"Don't do that, Jeff." Annie said with surprising sharpness.

"What?"

"Explain away doing a nice thing as though you're embarrassed by it. It's okay to be a decent person, you know?"

Jeff had a biting retort ready to go, but one look at the expression on Annie's face - wide eyed, almost pleading with him to understand - and it died on his lips. "I'm sorry, Edison." He said instead. "I don't have much practice at it I guess - I am very good indeed at being a jerk, though."

Jeff made up his mind about what to do next. "Let's go for a walk."

"So," said Annie as they left. "Do you really think that I'm the prettiest girl in Colorado?"

Jeff looked down at her face, glowing with mischievous good humour. "I've created a monster."

XXXXXX

Jeff's idea for a walk was a wander up the main street of the town looking in the designer shops - mostly high end brands, as the sort of people who came away on skiing holidays tended to prefer that sort of thing - seeing if there was anything that interested him. For Annie, the experience of visiting clothes shops with a guy who knew, and cared, more about fashion than she did was a decidedly odd one. Fun but odd, as Jeff spent more time in front of mirrors discussing the precise hang and colour balance of an outfit than she did.

The afternoon was drawing to a close when they reached the end of the high street, and Jeff suggested getting a drink and a bite to eat at a coffee bar he knew that had a rooftop terrace with the best views in town.

They took a table near the edge of the roof and ordered coffees and a selection of snacks. While they waited for the orders to arrive, Annie had a good look around, drinking in the view. Finally, she looked at Jeff with a thoughtful expression on her face. Jeff, who had been amusing himself watching Annie, raised a questioning eyebrow.

"When we first came here, I thought this was just the place you brought women when you needed more than a single evening to work on them." She said. "But you actually really like it, don't you?"

"You wound me, Edison." Jeff didn't look particularly offended. Annie had long since learned that Jeff was not ashamed of his past private life and it was pointless her being offended by it. For some reason she had never understood he had never put her in the "fun, but disposable" category that rather a lot of women seem to have been put in, instead (apart from some mild teasing which seemed to be as much for his public image as anything else) he treated her as, what? One of the guys, like Troy or Abed? She didn't know whether to be relieved or offended.

"Earth to Edison…" Annie suddenly focussed in on Jeff, who looked like he was trying to suppress a chuckle.

"We lost you for a moment, there."

"Sorry Jeff, you were saying?"

"You're right - I do like this place for it's own sake. But it's more for the mountains - I really like them." He waved his hand to encompass the Rockies.

"They're spectacular, sure…"

"It's not just that." Jeff was looking past Annie at the view. "It's that they've been here for millions of years before we arrived, and will be here for millions after we've gone. Nothing we can do can possibly affect them in the slightest, or even force them to notice us - they will watch over us without even pretending to judge. Indifference like that is awesome."

_What an incredibly bleak reason to love something_. Annie thought to herself. "That's almost poetic, Jeff." Is what she chose to say instead. The food arrived at that point, and the conversation shifted back to banalities.

XXXXXX

Time flies when you're having fun, with the result that although he had promised to drive back in the daylight, the sun had already dropped below the mountain peaks when Jeff realised how late it was getting and told Annie they really needed to be getting back.

"Either that, or get a hotel room." He said with a smirk on his face.

"It's probably best if we head back." Annie replied with a smile of her own.

They got back to the car and headed back to the road. By the time they left Cutter's Creek behind them, it was almost full dark and Jeff had his headlights on full beam. This time, they left the stereo off and did the journey in companionable silence.

"Jeff, can you pull over as soon as it's safe? There's something I'd like to show you." Annie said, after about twenty minutes.

"What is it, Edison?"

She smiled at him. "It's a surprise, but I think you'll appreciate it."

Jeff tried to interrogate her further, but she made it clear this was a show not a tell, so when he saw a sign advertising a viewpoint a half a mile ahead he kept an eye out for it and pulled into the parking space as he approached.

"Turn all the lights off and close your eyes until I ask you to open them again." Annie said. Jeff had no idea what was going on, but decided it was easiest to humour Annie for the time being.

After a couple of minutes of silence, he heard Annie's door open and close again after she got out. A few seconds later, his own door opened from the outside and he felt Annie take his hand in hers.

"Can you get out while keeping your eyes closed?"

"Edison, this is ridic-" He was silenced by a soft finger placing itself across his lips. He shrugged and climbed out of his car.

_If she's naked when I open my eyes_ \- Jeff couldn't help thinking.

But instead he said "Edison, you had better not be planning to walk me over a cliff edge. There are less elaborate ways to steal a car, you know." Even with his eyes closed, he could almost feel Annie's smile.

"Tilt your head back Jeff, and open your eyes."

"...wow."

In the pitch black of the mountains the sky was _full_ of stars, in a way that Jeff, as a man born and bred in cities, had never even dreamed was possible. He could think of nothing to say, which was just as well as Annie wanted to talk.

"You said you loved the mountains because they were always there for you and didn't give a damn about your problems. Well, I've always loved the stars for similar reasons. If you really want to know what eternity looks like and how trivial your problems are compared to it, lie on your back in an open space after dark when the sky is clear. It helped me get through high school, it helped me get through rehab, but I never really had a friend to talk to about it," she squeezed Jeff's hand again, "until now."

Jeff was still looking upwards, he was silent for a long moment, just looking up and gently squeezing Annie's hand. When he finally spoke, it was on a completely different subject.

"I really tried to be a good boyfriend, you know? I really wanted it to work - We always used to watch the shows she wanted to watch - I _hate_ 'Glee'!"

"I'm not crazy about 'Glee' either." Annie muttered.

"And I had to be so careful what I talked about around her - did you know she would get a 'headache' if I so much as mentioned your name? And she was incredibly rude about Britta - pretty much the only woman she was happy about me being friends with was Shirley!"

Annie had dragged Jeff out of Greendale to help him put some space between him and his problems, but hadn't expected this much in the way of confession. And Jeff hadn't finished yet.

"And then she dumped me without so much as a 'we can still be friends'!" The raw pain that had suddenly appeared in his voice shocked Annie. "What's the point of opening yourself up to someone if you just end up like this? She wouldn't have been able to do this to the guy I was a year ago!" There was real bitterness in his voice now.

Annie was still holding his hand. She gave it a squeeze. "God alone knows you're still a work in progress, but I'll take the guy you are now over the guy you were back then any day. I don't think he and I could have been friends."

Jeff finally tore his eyes away from the view overhead and looked down at her. The starlight was reflected in her eyes.

"How do you do it Edison? How do you manage to care for people so much without getting hurt?"

Annie looked down at the ground for a long time before speaking.

"I don't, Jeff." Her voice was barely a broken whisper. "I get hurt all the time. My parents, my so-called high school friends, the guy I first - you know - did it with, even the people in rehab - "

"Me." Jeff said. It wasn't a question.

"You." She squeezed his hand again. "Hey - at least you know it's wrong and try to apologise afterwards, I'll take that over the people who thought they were doing it for my own good or just for the fun of it any day.” She smiled sadly up at him.

"The thing is, Jeff," she continued before he could say anything. "Caring and getting hurt is still better than not caring, because how can you not care about stuff, about people, and still be properly alive? And sometimes, just sometimes you get to make a difference that makes it all worthwhile."

"Dammit, Annie - what did the world do to you to force you to be so wise, so young?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle, Jeff." She looked up at him with a big smile on her face. "And let's not overdo it - I still like bright cardigans, pink poster paint and glitter, I have a bedroom full of stuffed toys and I crush on Zac Efron and buy Taylor Swift songs - I can still be immature." She dropped his hand and closed in for a hug. Jeff hugged her back.

"You're also a damn fine friend." This time, Jeff put a finger over her mouth to prevent her returning the compliment.

"Let's get back before the State Police find us."

XXXXXX

Jeff took the following day off – he sent a text message to his study group informing them that he needed more time alone to process his feelings about the breakup and one to Annie thanking her again for the previous day and asking her to work with Abed to start planning the paper for next week. Then he went out for a long run and followed that up with a hard session down the gym, trying to drown the emotional conflict with physical activity. For the afternoon, he went to the cinema to see something violent and stupid and bought a bottle of Scotch on his way home with the intent of spending the evening climbing inside it.

Instead, he'd been back barely half an hour when he was disturbed by a hammering on the door and a cheery cry of "Open up, douchebag!"

He groaned as he recognised the voice, walked over to the door and opened it. "What do you want, Britta?"

She sauntered in without waiting to be invited. "The study group was worried about you, Jeff. We decided somebody needed to come round to see how you were coping, we drew straws and I lost. So, here I am. Get your coat, we're leaving."

"What?"

"We're going to a bar, and I'm going to pour Scotch down your throat and pretend to listen while you moan about what a bitch your Ex is. It's called being a friend Jeff and you need it."

_I don't believe this_. "Thanks Britta, but I'm really not ready to start dating again just yet."

"In your dreams, mister – do I look like I've dressed up for a date?" She had a point, Jeff realised – jeans, jacket and boots were pretty much Britta's usual day wear, not dress to impress stuff.

"You're not budging until I agree to come, are you?"

"Not an inch, Jeff."

Jeff sighed. "Give me five minutes to put on a clean shirt and pick a jacket."

XXXXXX

They'd gone to a bar about a ten minute walk from Jeff's apartment. Britta bought a Scotch for Jeff and a glass of white wine for herself, she knew Jeff well enough to guess it was pointless talking about Slater just yet so instead she filled him in on what had happened during family day – Jeff actually laughed at her account of being switched by Troy's grandmother, and again at the resourcefulness of Shirley's boys in helping Abed's cousin to play on the bouncy castle, but he was a bit more serious when he heard how Pierce's step-daughter had only hung around long enough to fleece the old man of a hefty cheque. When Britta asked where Jeff had disappeared to, he said he'd gone for a drive in the mountains to clear his head but declined to give further details. _Do you really think I don't know you ran off with your little friend?_ Britta thought to herself. _Half of Greendale was passing through that parking lot_. As she herself had said however it was not a date so she had no business challenging him about other women – and besides, she was absolutely certain she didn't want him thinking it mattered to her.

The first half of the night passed in like manner – amusing gossip, talk of trivialities, the occasional silly game. Two friends hanging out, not doing anything serious. Jeff felt deeply grateful for the company and the lack of pressure. It was during a moment of silence halfway down the fifth (or was it sixth? He'd started to lose count) glass of Scotch that he felt the silence stretch out and turn reflective.

"It came out of nowhere, you know." He said. _Uh oh, here we go_. Britta thought to herself.

"Three nights ago was a great night – I cooked dinner, we watched one of her stupid shows and then she changed into something more comfortable," he smiled at the memory. "And we went to bed. _Not_ to sleep." He smiled further. "Two nights ago she was too busy preparing for family day to meet up, then when I caught up with her yesterday morning it was 'we need to talk', and she didn't even bother with 'I still want us to be friends'."

"Bitch." Britta said bluntly.

Jeff attempted to be gallant. "People are allowed to grow apart Britta."

"There's growing apart and then there's cheating." Said Britta. "Did you know she already had another guy by the time of the evening dance?"

" _What?_ "

"Yup. Either she moved on _really_ fast or she's been cheating on you."

" _Bitch_." Jeff's mood had suddenly turned black. "I really tried to make it work with her, you know?"

Britta signalled the barman for more drinks and settled down to listen to Jeff vent. She deftly limited her contributions to encouraging him to turn away from self-pity and towards anger at his ex and throwing in the occasional supportive anecdote about her own supply of jerkass exes whenever he ran down.

By the time the barman was making increasingly unsubtle signals that they'd drunk enough and he'd like them to leave so he could lock up Jeff had basically run out of steam and was back to talking drunkenly about random topics.

"C'mon Jeff, time to go." Britta slurred at him.

"M'kay," he replied with a giggle. He tried to stand up, only for all the Scotch to go to his head at once, causing him to stagger and desperately grab the edge of the table to prevent himself from falling.

"Lemme help," Britta wasn't much better off, but she swayed over to Jeff and put an arm around his waist to brace him. Jeff threw an arm over her shoulders and thus propping each other up they staggered out of the bar into the cool night air.

"You're reeeeally good a' this, Britta." Jeff said. "Have you thought of taking the- therrapy courses?"

Britta smiled drunkenly at him.

"Mebbe I'll do just that." She slurred. Werrare we goin'?"

"Thizway!" Jeff pointed vaguely in the direction of his apartment. Britta giggled drunkenly as he dragged her along with him. It seemed to take much longer to get back to his building than it had to get to the bar earlier in the evening, long enough for them both to sober up a little in the cold night air.

They stopped outside the door. Britta with her arms around his waist, him with his around her back.

"Thanks Britta, I needed tonight – it was fun."

She smiled up at him. "No need Jeff, I had a good time too."

Jeff leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, just as he did she turned her head and their lips met. The kiss started accidentally, but swiftly turned passionate. Jeff picked her up and pressed her back against the door of his building, Britta wrapped her legs around his waist, freeing up her hands to grab his head and pull it tight against hers. Jeff grabbed hold of her leather jacket and frantically tried to unfasten it. All of a sudden, Britta broke the kiss and pushed back at Jeff to create some space.

"Not so fast, mister." She gasped.

"Dammit, Britta!" Jeff's desire was almost physically painful.

"We can do this thing Jeff if you really want to, but on one condition."

"Anything!" He gasped.

Britta had climbed off Jeff and was standing in front of him again. "You have to promise me – and mean it – that tonight is all about me. You will not be thinking of anybody else at any point."

"Seriously Britta, I'm _so_ over Slater!"

Britta shook her head. "That wasn't what I asked, Jeff."

All of a sudden a memory flashed across Jeff's brain, of a soft hand in his and blue eyes and a warm smile under starlight. He felt reality crash in, he sighed and let go of her. "I'm truly sorry, Britta."

Britta saw the way his face changed and smiled sadly.

"I know you are Jeff," she said. She took hold of his hands in hers and looked him straight in the eye. "You need to make up your mind about what you really want – when you do, let me know. But until then, I'm nobody's second choice. Do you understand?"

Jeff nodded. "You really are a good friend, Britta."

Britta leaned in and kissed him on the cheek – no passion this time, just friendship. "I'll see you in school on Monday."

She started to turn away, Jeff took hold of her elbow to stop her. "It would have been good, Britta." He said with a wistful smile.

"No, Jeff." Said Britta, with a smile of her own. "It would have been _amazing_."

Jeff let her go with a final smile. As she walked away she got out her phone and called Shirley – the other woman had offered to pick her up and drive her home in exchange for gossip. But Britta made damn sure to put an extra swing in her hips so Jeff would know just what it was he was missing.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a pretty unapologetic J/A shipper - I wouldn't be writing this story if I wasn't - but I'm also very fond of Britta the Needlessly Defiant. She's probably the most fundamentally decent character on the show, even if this does manifest itself in frequently incompetent and counter-productive ways. This story has tended to show her in a somewhat unflattering light so far, as Annie's jealous and suspicious rival constantly ready with a belittling snark. I wanted to put in something of a corrective in this chapter to remind us that Britta is more than that, hence ending it with a scene showing her at her best - the one who's there for a friend when he needs it (especially when he doesn't realise it or welcome it, which is when friends are most important) and who forces Jeff to face his own conscience when he thinks he wants something else, even if by doing so she inflicts significant damage on her own cause.


	13. Intermediate Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our couple dance, but do not communicate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I understand there's no evidence Greendale has a Spring Formal (and the other hand there's none that it doesn't…), but it's certainly the sort of thing Dean Pelton would randomly decide to do in his ambition to make Greendale look more like a proper college. And besides, I was inspired to write this chapter after seeing "Modern Espionage" and realising there are far too few stories where Jeff gets to wear a tux…

Week 18

(Study Room B, Monday 8AM)

"So Annie, you were nowhere to be seen on Family Day - what happened to you?" Marcia asked.

"Oh," said Annie in an elaborately casual tone of voice she'd been practising all weekend. "I spent the day with Jeff, he took me to Cutter's Creek - it's a ski resort, you know - and we didn't get back until almost midnight."

"OhmigodAnnie! Tell us everything!" Marcia squealed with amazement.

So Annie did. Marcia was less than impressed by the end, though she took care to hide it from Annie. _I'm sure holding hands by starlight is very romantic, but is that really all you got after an entire day? That idiot's too comfortable with you being so patient, he needs to get shocked into action._

XXXXXX

(Editorial Meeting in Jeff's office)

"Congratulations, Kate," Jeff said, holding up the dummy front page with a simple one word headline - VICTORY - accompanying a story about the dismissal of Starburns as fry chef and a quote from the dean about how shocked - shocked - he was to find the kitchens were corrupt.

"Nice picture too, Radar." Jeff nodded to Abed, the story was accompanied by a large picture of a thoroughly villainous looking Starburns being frogmarched out of the kitchen.

"you've earned this guys - " Jeff handed Abed and Kate a martini each from the still and raised one himself " - to freedom of the press." They clinked glasses.

XXXXXX

(Later that week)

Jeff was playing pool with coach Bogner in front of a large crowd. Somehow, they both ended up naked. As Jeff leaned over the table to take a particularly difficult shot, nobody knew where to look.

Except for Annie. Annie knew _exactly_ where to look…

XXXXXX

Week 19

Jeff landed in his chair in the study room with a weary sigh and pulled out his phone. He was just getting engrossed in a game when he heard someone address him directly.

"I'm probably going to regret asking this, but what's wrong with you?" Britta said. "You've been here for almost three minutes now and haven't snarked at anyone, and Pierce has already made two penis related jokes."

"There's nothing wrong with me Britta, I just need to study."

Britta laughed sarcastically.

"Jeff's having relationship problems." Abed cut in.

" _What?_ Jeff isn't in a relationship." Britta said.

"I didn't say it was his relationship that was the problem." Abed replied. "He's just come from the cafeteria where he spent half an hour talking to his friend Annie, and ten minutes holding her hands while looking in her eyes."

"It's true, bro." Troy said. "Abed and I were on the other side of the cafeteria doing run throughs of the script for our Kickpuncher fan video."

"It's really amazing you guys are still single." Jeff snarked.

"I know, right?" The sarcasm sailed over Troy's head.

"So, holding hands and gazing into her eyes?" Shirley was glaring daggers at Jeff.

"It's really not what it sounds like." Jeff scanned the solid wall of sceptical faces, and against his will felt forced to say more.

"Look, Annie's my friend - I've never denied that."

"We're your friends too Jeff, you don't hold hands with us and give us long lingering gazes."

"Do you want to, Abed?"

"Gay! Always said it!"

"Shut up Pierce!" Britta, Jeff and Shirley said at the same time.

"I try to make time for her because she gives me something the study group can't."

"And what would that be?" Britta's voice was practically dripping with disdain.

"She knows how to study."

"Ouch!"

"Low blow, Jeff."

"Don't let him change the subject, it's one of his lawyer tricks!" Britta was almost shouting now. "Holding hands, lingering gazes, remember?"

"Look, it really isn't like that." Jeff sighed, knowing they weren't going to allow him to deflect things. "The poor girl was a bit upset that nobody had asked her to the Spring Formal dance and I was just trying to cheer her up a bit by saying that all that that proved was that men at Greendale are idiots and there was bound to be somebody out there for her. That's all."

"No, there isn't anybody out there for her."

" _What_? That's really cold Britta. Annie's a bit high strung, but she's a great kid." Jeff was almost shouting now.

"Relax Jeff, don't go all Papa Wolf on me -"

"Since when did you start quoting TVTropes? Have you swapped brains with Abed?"

"Stop that, Jeff! We already agreed distraction techniques aren't going to work. And for once I'm not having a dig at your little friend. This one is entirely your fault."

Jeff was about to explode again, when he saw Shirley still glaring daggers at him and nodding agreement with Britta. He forced himself to reply calmly.

"How exactly do you work that out?"

"Look I'm only going to say this once because I know what it'll do to your ego, so pay attention. This is Greendale - the vast majority of men here are no hopers, either creepy like Starburns or Pierce ("Hey! I'm in the room!") or just totally socially inept like Garrett or Neil. There are a few cute and potentially intriguing guys like Abed" -raised eyebrows - "but there are maybe three genuinely hot, straight guys on campus. And of those three, Troy ("Heeeyyyy!" big grin) has already had a run at your little friend and been blown off and Vaughn has already dumped her. Which leaves you, Jeff."

"Actually, she dumped Vaughn." Jeff felt the need to defend Annie. "And it was because of the way he treated you Britta - as I said she's a really good girl."

Britta looked abashed for a moment.

"Oh, and I knew you thought I was hot." Jeff grinned.

"That's what you took from all that? Yes Jeff, _by Greendale standards_ you're hot." Britta rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"Look, if the men at Greendale were a bunch of apes flinging their own faeces at each other in the trees - and let's face it, they practically are - then you would be a silverback gorilla. All the other primates will steer well clear of any female you put your mark on, and face it Jeff - whether you realise it or not, you've put your mark on that girl."

"Britta, you're being ridiculous." But Jeff couldn't help notice everybody else seemed to be agreeing with her.

"Am I really Jeff? Let's play a game, shall we? Put yourself in the shoes of someone like Garrett and imagine you'd just spent a month screwing up the courage to go and talk to Annie Edison, and when you are finally pumped up enough to do it - because the dance is only three days away and it's now or never - you track her to the cafeteria and find her holding hands with Jeff Winger and sharing lingering glances with him. What would you, as Garret, do then?"

"I'd… he'd... turn around and leave." Jeff barely managed to whisper.

"Aaaaand he finally sees it." Britta said.

"So, you're saying I'm not allowed to simply be friends with a girl because it scares off the likes of Garrett?" Even Britta could tell Mr too-cool-to-care was on the verge of losing it, so it was perhaps just as well Shirley spoke next.

"No Jeffrey, nobody's saying you can't be friends. Britta's just saying you need to have a talk with her, let her understand what's going on so she doesn't blame herself. That _is_ what you were going to say, wasn't it, Brit-ta?" Shirley finished in a warning tone of voice.

"Yes Shirley," Britta muttered.

Jeff was unimpressed. "Now that we've officially established I'm a monster who ruins the lives of innocent young girls, can we get on with some actual studying?" He said tightly. "We've got an exam next week."

XXXXXX

With the well of gossip poisoned by that exchange, the group actually did manage to do some studying. Jeff then went on to his last class of the day, after which he suddenly found himself in an agony of indecision for normally at four o'clock on a Wednesday he would go over to Study Room B for an hour's session with Annie who would run him through her notes and give him some tips on how to tackle any homework he'd been assigned.

Now however, he couldn't forget what the study group had said and found himself asking how on earth he could possibly face Annie. He had in fact already turned towards the car park and was drafting a message of apology on his phone when he was interrupted by a cheery voice on his left.

"Hi Jeff!"

"Oh hi, Edison."

"Where are you going? The study room's over that way." She pointed to his right.

"Sorry - I thought I had time to drop something off in my car." _Yeah - my dignity, self-respect and any reason at all for you to like me._

"Well, we're both here now, let's go and study."

"Okay."

Twenty minutes later, and Annie closed her book with a decisive thump.

"Jeff, what's going on? You're concentrating even less than usual."

"It's nothing, really."

"Jeeeffff…." _Damn, Bambi's mother just got shot. Again._

"It's something my study group said." Jeff froze slightly before going on. _This is where I lose my friend_. "Abed and Troy saw us in the cafeteria. They didn't overhear anything, but they saw everything."

"...Oh."

"Then, when I got back to the study group, everybody wanted to know what was going on. So I told them what you said about nobody inviting you to the dance."

"Jeff…"

"They said it was my fault."

" _What?_ "

Jeff sighed. "It's nothing to do with you - apparently I'm a silverback gorilla who's marked you as my property, or something. No other guy in Greendale will go near you for fear of trespassing on my territory."

"That's ridic -"

"No, it isn't." Jeff gasped out the next bit with what was left of his breath. "So apparently if you're not to spend the rest of your time here alone we either have to put some distance between us or you have to hope someone even hotter than me enrols at Greendale. And let's face it, how likely is that?" The feeble joke left no impression at all on her face.

"Is this what you want Jeff?" Annie said, tightly.

"What! No - "

"Do I get any say in this?"

"What? Of course -"

"Because if I did, I might choose to say I've got no interest in dating the sort of men who are afraid of my friends. I might choose to say now that I know what's going on I could do something about it. I might choose to say THIS IS MY DAMN LIFE AND NOBODY TELLS ME HOW TO LIVE IT! I have fought so hard, sacrificed so much, for the right to be myself, to make my own decisions, and I am never again going to allow an overgrown high school clique tell me who I am allowed to be friends with!"

Annie's face had gone white with rage.

"What about you, Jeff Winger? Do people get to tell you who your friends are?"

"Only one person, apparently." Jeff smiled, truly, for the first time that afternoon.

Annie smiled back, that special smile of hers that made everyone's troubles feel less important.

"Look," said Jeff. "I can't study any more right now. I feel like grabbing a takeaway and a sixpack and clearing my head before spending the rest of the night cramming. Do you want to blow too or are you going to stay here?"

"No, I need some fresh air too. Walk me to the car park?"

"A pleasure. Milady?" Jeff offered his arm.

"Thank you, Milord." Annie smiled, and took it as they walked out of the building and turned towards the car park.

XXXXXX

Across the Quad, Britta and Shirley were standing outside the library where they had been doing some late studying of their own.

"It looks like he didn't have that chat with her after all," Britta said.

"No, there's more than one way a talk like that could end." Shirley said.

XXXXXX

(At the car park)

"So," said Annie. "What are you going to do for the Spring Formal?"

Jeff pretended to think. "I don't have a date - I assumed I'd be going with Slater, and look how that worked out - so I was thinking of just throwing on a tux and dancing with the prettiest girl who was on her own." Jeff threw a smile at Annie that made it quite clear who he thought that would be.

Annie smiled back, showing she'd caught Jeff's meaning. "Me too," she said, only to blush furiously when Jeff's raised eyebrow drew attention to what she had said. "Erm, I mean - "

Jeff decided to let her off lightly. "I know - swap out 'tux' and 'prettiest girl' for 'dress' and 'cutest guy' right?" Annie nodded. "Though it would be _way_ more interesting if you went with what you originally said…"

"Jeff!" Annie swatted his arm.

"See you tomorrow, Edison."

"See you tomorrow, Jeff."

XXXXXX

Jeff and Annie also had a pottery class that week. It was supposed to be a blow off class, but Jeff hated it and briefly got expelled. It wasn't helped by the presence of that smug now it all with the too-perfect grin who obviously wasn't a beginner. Still, by the end of the week Jeff managed to learn a useful lesson about not having to be the best at everything. Annie was happy to see him show a little character growth for once.

XXXXXX

(Night of the Spring Formal)

A good half of the quad had been decorated with flowers and lights to look like an open air dance venue - complete with a temporary floor, and with a marquee at one end hosting tables, catering and a bar. In the moonlight, it was surprisingly effective.

"I see you've brought out the big guns tonight, Winger." Britta said, looking at Jeff's tuxedo and black bow tie. _He may be the most gratuitously sexist pig this side of - well, Pierce, but he does know how to wear a suit._

"Packing heat yourself, Perry." Jeff replied in the same spirit, allowing a moment of frank appreciation for Britta's sleeveless black dress that only just reached mid-thigh and classic heels. _She may be the most annoying Soapbox Sadie outside captivity, but she does know how to rock a tight fitting dress._

"I'm up here, mister." Despite herself, Britta couldn't hide a small smile.

"So, what are the children doing tonight?" Troy and Abed were on the other side of Britta, scanning the crowd and whispering into boxes.

Britta rolled her eyes. "They've decided they're in a spy film and this dance is a cover for something. If they see you dressed like that, they'll probably decide you're James Bond. _Don't_ try to do a British accent."

"Now you need to leave, Jeff."

Jeff was slightly stunned. "Sorry, Britta?"

"Your little friend has just arrived and she's scanning the area - people have started to notice and are waiting to see what you do, Silverback. She's already starting to look nervous - you've got maybe ten seconds before she spots you with me and loses it completely."

Jeff's eyes opened wide. "Thanks Britta - just one thing…"

Jeff walked past her, tapped Troy on the shoulder. "Troy, ask Britta to dance."

"What? Erm okay…"

Britta rolled her eyes. "Get your sexist, patriarchal ass out of here, Winger." She let Troy take her arm though.

Jeff turned around to face the entry, where he saw Annie fidgeting nervously and craning her head as she looked around. He eased himself into a relaxed pose as he waited for her to spot him, and when she did - with a happy little bounce and a wave - he began to walk through the crowd towards her. Jeff made no effort to avoid people on the floor, for he carried himself with the assurance of a man who took it for granted that the crowd would part for him. Which, whether because of his bearing or simply because he was fortunate in the route he took, they did.

He stopped about ten feet short and openly scanned Annie from head to foot and back again with a warm, appreciative smile on his face. Annie flushed under the unexpected scrutiny. "Looking good, Edison. Looking _very_ good." He said at last, and finally closed the distance and offered Annie his arm before leading her on to the dance floor.

In truth, if they'd been strangers meeting at a bar Jeff probably wouldn't have given her a second glance. Her dress was a knee-length canary yellow affair that looked like a larger girl's prom dress that had been inexpertly taken in - with a sudden flash of insight and knowing what he did of Annie's back story, Jeff suddenly wondered if that was not exactly what it was - Annie had missed her prom because she was in rehab so had probably never had a chance to wear it before. As always though, what made the look unforgettable was Annie herself - hair, eyes and smile, now spreading from ear to ear as Jeff put one hand on her waist and the other took her free hand and started to move in time to the music. _Stop thinking like that Winger, you're doing a friend a favour, nothing else - you like this girl too much to treat her like just another one of your women._

Britta Perry had watched the whole performance with a cynical, amused eye but with the grudging respect of someone who knew exactly what game Jeff was playing and how well he played it. She did spare a thought for the rest of the crowd though and found herself wondering just how many of the schmucks here even had the wit to realise they'd just been given a masterclass in how to make a girl feel desired. One thing she did see though - going by the number of envious glances being cast his little friend's way, even if the men didn't realise it the women did. _Primates._ Britta thought disdainfully.

Annie Edison may not have much experience in the ways of the world, but she was a long way from being naive and she was well aware she was being very efficiently seduced. What she wasn't sure about was whether Jeff was doing it because he wanted her, or because he wanted this crowd to think he wanted her - he was quite sufficiently vain to think that being pursued so ardently by him would raise her status at Greendale - sadly, she thought it was probably the latter as he had shown scant sign of any such feelings in all their private time together and he was probably still feeling guilty after their conversation the other day. Still, even if it was an act she was determined to enjoy it - it was time for somebody to feel jealous of Annie Edison for once. And Jeff was a very good dancer, though she tried to avoid thinking that - like the tux and the abs - the skill was probably a deliberately acquired weapon in his seduction armoury.

"So," said Jeff. "Have you spotted the lucky guy you're going to spend the evening dancing with yet?"

"Not yet," said Annie, with a smile. "What about you, have you spotted who you want to spend the night with yet?"

"Actually I was thinking about Joelle, but she's already with somebody and I'm not sure I've got the firepower to take down her date." Jeff efficiently rotated Annie through a ninety degree turn so that she could see her red-headed friend wearing a green dress and dancing with Garrett, trying very hard to stop him from standing on her toes.

Annie suddenly found herself fighting down a fit of the giggles. "Oh, Jeff! You've got to try and rescue her."

"That's the thing about knights in shining armour, Edison - we're supposed to concentrate on one lady at a time or it devalues the brand." Jeff suddenly went thoughtful for a moment.

"But if you seriously think she needs rescuing, I can have a word with Abed - he can cut in with his Don Draper impersonation or something."

"That's… really thoughtful of you, Jeff." Annie wished she hadn't sounded quite so surprised, she could tell from his raised eyebrow that Jeff had picked up on it. Instead Annie looked very deliberately over at Joelle, making eye contact. The other girl silently but equally deliberately mouthed back HELP ME! at Annie. "let's find Abed," she said.

Jeff had already spotted him by the DJ desk, and efficiently danced Annie over that way. Once they reached Abed, Jeff swiftly explained the situation.

"Cool. Coolcoolcool." Was all Abed said, but he turned and started to walk across the floor - even as he went his stride was changing into a much more macho swagger. They saw him walk up to Garrett and Joelle, saw Garrett's shoulders slump slightly and then Abed was off, spinning Joelle into the middle of the dance floor.

"Abed's a surprisingly good dancer," Annie said.

"Yes, he is." Jeff replied. "Don't get any ideas, Edison."

"Why Jeff!" Annie smiled. "Are you jealous?"

"Of course I am." but he was smiling too. "But you do realise we may have made a horrible mistake?" Jeff had an expression of mock seriousness on his face.

"Oh?" Annie looked confused.

"Two of the smartest, most scarily observant people around, who don't _quite_ get how normal people work - can you imagine what their children would be like?"

Annie suddenly had a silly grin on her face. "Humanity is doomed! I for one welcome our new super-rational overlords..."

The music changed into a classic swing tune. Jeff recognised it and laughed suddenly.

 

_There may be trouble ahead_

_But while there's moonlight and music_

_And love and romance_

_Let's face the music and dance…_

 

He let go of Annie's waist with his left hand, spun her on the spot with his right, then took hold of her waist again and waltzed her into the middle of the crowd. Annie thought she must look ridiculous given how much she was smiling. She didn't care.

XXXXXX

Annie Edison was in something of a quandary. On the one hand, she was thoroughly enjoying dancing with Jeff - even if he was so much better than her that it felt at times like she was being pushed around the dance floor - and talking about stuff that had nothing to do with Greendale (even confirming Jeff's suspicions about her outfit did not upset her, so good was her mood); but on the other her feet were starting to _hurt_. Annie wasn't particularly used even to walking in high heels, never mind dancing in them and they were starting to protest. When one particularly tight turn caused her to wince with pain sufficiently obviously even for Jeff to notice he was instantly contrite and took her to a table to sit down, ignoring her protests as he did.

Once they'd got to the table Jeff offered to get some drinks, returning with a (non-alcoholic, he checked) fruit punch and a diet coke. By the time he got back Annie had kicked off her shoes and was resting her feet on a spare chair and trying to flex some circulation back into her toes. She took one look at Jeff's face - an amused expression she'd come to call his "Annie does something cute but childish again" face - and sighed inwardly. _And there I was thinking I was doing so well being all grown up - I bet the blonde doesn't get sore feet from wearing high heels._ Outwardly, she chose to smile and thank him for the drink.

"Is this your first formal dance, Edison?"

"Is it that obvious, Jeff?" She replied sadly.

"Actually, no." He replied to her pleased surprise. "You're doing pretty well - a lot better than at least half the people here, I think your performing arts credit is safe. It helps of course that you've got a good teacher." Jeff smiled and raised his glass as though toasting himself.

"Well, I don't think anybody thinks it's your first, Jeff." Annie smiled, rather ruefully, back at him.

Jeff shuddered. "No, it isn't. There'd be at least four or five a year at the law firm - I'd be expected to dance with clients' wives while the senior partners talked business with their husbands, I'd have to show interest in them - but not too much, if you know what I mean - and pretend to be flattered when they got a bit hands-on. Which wasn't too hard to do with some of the Russian trophy wives, but the old money, east coast heiresses -" Jeff shuddered again. "I was the best trial lawyer at that firm and was being used as bait and distraction because I was cursed with movie star good looks." He smiled wryly at her.

"And modesty and humility. Don't forget those too." Annie smiled back. "If you think good looks are such a curse you can always stop exercising and start eating carbs…"

"It's a burden somebody has to bear, Edison. I like to think I'm doing the world a favour by giving it me to look at." Annie just rolled her eyes, but inside she was thinking _you're so vain Winger, even if you do have a lot to be vain about, especially in that Tux…_

"Annie, can you spare Jeff for a moment?" Marcia had appeared from nowhere.

"Marcia! Shouldn't you be with Jack?"

Marcia shrugged. "We're on a break. So…?"

"Don't I get a say in this?" Jeff protested weakly.

"No." Marcia grabbed Jeff's wrist as Annie waved her permission. "Come with me, pretty boy."

"Have fun, Jeff." Annie was grinning again as Marcia dragged him away.

XXXXXX

"Just to be absolutely clear," Jeff said as he spun Marcia on to the dance floor, "but my study group will ask questions if I fail to appear tomorrow and find out you're the last person I was seen alive with."

Marcia sashayed back into hold. "Don't worry Jeff - I'm not here to kill you. Tonight, at least." She had a very serious expression on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes. "though I think you owe me an explanation as to what game you are playing tonight, you're going a bit all in for somebody who only wants to be friends." There was a warning note in her voice.

Jeff shimmied his way through a sequence of complex dance moves. To his surprise, Marcia followed him through them with ease. He resumed the ballroom hold, sighed and proceeded to explain, yet again.

"... so you see," Jeff wrapped up, "none of the guys around here will ask her out because they think she's off limits because of me, so the least I could do is make sure she got a dance out of the evening. There's no ulterior motive Marcia, and I'm pretty sure Annie get's that."

"So am I, Jeff." Marcia said. "I really think she's getting over you now."

" _What?_ " Jeff's voice was less steady than he wanted it to sound.

"She told us all about your day in the mountains - she put everything she had into getting you to notice her, and all she got out of it was something about what a great friend she is."

"She is a great friend, Marcia!"

"And I think that she's starting to accept that that is all she's going to be. I don't think you have to worry about her crushing on you for much longer."

"That's… great." Jeff's voice had gone cold and dead. The music they'd been dancing to came to an end. "Well, it's been interesting. Now, if you'll excuse me…" He turned and headed back to where he'd left Annie.

XXXXXX

"Crap." The table was empty. Jeff turned around.

"Double-crap." He saw her halfway across the dance floor, in Troy's arms with a happy smile on her face.

"Looking for your little friend, Jeff?"

"I don't need this right now, Britta." Jeff hissed through gritted teeth.

"Hey - I've been dumped too." Her voice was light and sympathetic in tone, not at all sarcastic. Jeff turned to look at her, she had a slightly sad smile on her face that reminded Jeff she'd been mostly dancing with Troy all evening.

Jeff smiled back at her. "As one dumpee to another, do you want to dance?"

"This track has almost finished - I requested my favorite song for the next, you can ask me then."

 _Oh no, not this._ Jeff said to himself as he recognised the opening beat. But instead he straightened up and said "have your dance classes covered the Tango, Britta?"

"I've had a few Latin classes, yes." She had a decidedly - sultry, Jeff realised it was - smile on her face.

"Then let's show these children how it's done." He rasped.

 

_Roooo-xanne -_

_You don't have to put on the red light!_

_Those days are over_

_You don't have to sell your body to the night…_

 

Jeff pulled Britta into him - hard - and swept her out on to the floor.

XXXXXX

The last notes spiralled down into silence. In the space that had been cleared in the middle of the floor by people moving out of their way to watch, Jeff and Britta came to a halt, their faces only inches apart and wearing expressions that were positively feral. Without a word, they backed away a couple of paces and span around on their heels, then marched off in opposite directions. Applause broke out.

"So." Said Joelle, who, with Abed, had moved up next to Marcia. "This plan of yours to get him so worried about losing Annie that he'd finally make a proper move on her, did that take the blonde into account?"

Marcia looked appalled. "Annie! Oh god - where is she? We've got to find her before she does something stupid!"

XXXXXX

Troy and Annie had been one of the couples that had moved aside to give Britta and Jeff room to dance. Troy was awestruck at what he had just seen.

"Annie - wow! Did you see that? Who knew Jeff-" He turned to face Annie, only to realise she was nowhere to be seen.

"Annie? Where'd she go?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another chapter that didn't go according to plan. In the preliminary outline, they ended the evening slow-dancing to Bette Midler's "The Rose" (seriously, that song could have been written for this couple) and be in a generally really happy place. Instead when I sat down to do detailed writing, *this* happened! (I guess my subconsciousness wouldn't allow me to forget that, however much we like them, this is a pair with rather severe abandonment issues.) Incidentally, this also meant I had to throw out the next chapter in order to sort out this mess...


	14. Relationships for Beginners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our couple attempt to communicate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The history of a battle is not unlike the history of a ball. Some individuals may recollect all the little events of which the great result is the battle won or lost, but no individual can recollect the order in which, or the exact moment at which, they occurred, which makes all the difference as to their value or importance." - Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

(Study Room B, Monday 8:05AM)

"If she was coming, she'd be here by now." Joelle finally said what was obvious to both of them.

"Have you had any luck getting through to her?" Marcia asked.

"Nine voicemail messages, seventeen texts. No reply to any of them. I think Abed tried a few times, too - no better luck."

 _Yes, you guys really hit it off didn't you? Nice to see not everything went to crap that night_. Marcia thought sourly. "Yeah, same here." She said out loud.

"Well, If she won't come to us, we'll have to go to her." Marcia said. "Do you know where she lives? Of course you do." She said in response to Joelle's raised eyebrow.

"Are you sure you want to do this Marcia? Haven't you helped Annie enough already?"

Marcia flinched. "Do you have a better idea, Joelle?" The other girl shook her head.

XXXXXX

(Annie's apartment, 8:40AM)

Annie had had a miserable weekend. It had started so well – Jeff had been sweet and attentive at the ball and their relationship really seemed to be in a good place. They had danced, they had talked, they'd laughed and at no point had he freaked out or patronised her as being too young – even if he still hadn't been thinking of her _that way_ it did at least seem as though the idea was no longer ridiculous. Then Troy had asked her to dance after Jeff had gone off with Marcia and the next – and last – time she had seen Jeff he'd been burning up the floor with the blonde who had well and truly put Annie in her place by extracting more passion, emotion and intensity from Jeff in three minutes than Annie had managed in four months.

Well, Annie knew when she was beaten – she'd ran back to her car as soon as they'd finished dancing and driven home, switched her phone off and spent the rest of Saturday night eating an entire tub of ice cream while crying her eyes out. On Sunday, she'd logged on to the City College website and downloaded the forms she needed to process a transfer request. As far as she was concerned, the blonde was welcome to Jeff and the sooner she was in a place where she didn't have to see either of them ever again the better. It still hurt though, it still hurt _so much._

In her misery, Annie had quite forgot she had switched off her phone and hadn't given much thought to the study session she'd missed either so when the banging on her door started and Marcia shouted to be let in she was taken by surprise.

Annie opened the door, Marcia stormed in with Joelle behind her and embraced her in a big hug. "Annie, we were so worried - you never answered your phone, and then when you didn't turn up for the study session…"

"I've been here all the time Marcia, I just didn't want to talk to anybody. I'm still not really up it." The hint wasn't exactly subtle, but Marcia ignored it anyway.

"What happened, honey?"

Annie really didn't want an extended chat, so she gave the briefest possible version she could.

"When I saw the way Jeff was with her I didn't see any point in staying, so I came home. I'm also going to transfer to City College, it's not as if anybody in Greendale will miss me and at least there I will never have to see them again." She said bitterly.

"I will. You're my friend." They were the first words Joelle had spoken since she arrived.

Against her will, a watery smile broke across Annie's face. "Thanks Jo, that means a lot – but my mind is made up."

"Marcia's got something she needs to say." Joelle said next. The two of them looked at each other in a way that suggested Annie was seeing the tail end of a long and bitter argument as Marcia sighed and asked if she could sit down.

Annie sat them down at the dining table and put the kettle on to make them all coffee. When she completed the simple task and sat down herself, Marcia began to talk. "It started the other week, after you told us about your trip to the mountains…"

Marcia didn't spare any details. She talked about coming to the realisation that what Annie felt for Jeff wasn't just a schoolgirl crush but something a great deal more serious, but also that whatever it was she had going on with Jeff had stabilised at a place that, whereas Jeff was probably comfortable enough, was a long way short of what Annie deserved. So she'd come up with a plan to shock Jeff out of his complacency and make him take action.

It was a good plan too – get him away from Annie during the Ball and tell him what he thought he wanted to hear, that Annie was no longer interested in him that way and was happy just being friends. Then, when he realised it wasn't what he wanted to hear after all he should be shocked into action. To make sure he was properly on the boil, the plan also called for Annie to be dancing with someone else when he came back - someone who was a credible threat, such as Troy. How to set this up was the only part of the plan that Marcia wasn't sure about until Joelle hooked up with Abed at the dance and they'd got him to ask Troy to ask Annie.

The only thing they hadn't factored in was how Jeff would react – the blonde had not featured in their plans at all, and everything had gone to pieces when she got her claws into him.

"We're really sorry Annie, but please – don't upend your life because your friends are idiots."

"But why, Marcia?" Annie cried at the end. "I'm sorry things didn't match up with how you thought they should be, but I was okay with where they were – Jeff was comfortable being around me, we could talk and joke and even dance without him being freaked out by the age difference or what other people thought. Okay, we weren't Romeo and Juliet, but we were in a good place and there was every possibility of getting into a better one with time. But now – now he's with her and I'm transferring to City College so I never have to see him again!"

"Annie, we're so sorry, but aren't you overreacting –"

Annie wiped another round of tears from her eyes. "Thanks for coming around guys, but I really want to be alone now." She got up and went over to the front door. Annie refused to meet their eyes as they left.

As they were heading back to Marcia's car, Joelle took out her phone and started tapping at it.

"Who are you texting?" Marcia asked.

"Abed." Was all Joelle would say in reply.

XXXXXX

Jeff Winger was feeling a sense of gathering foreboding. His weekend had gone somewhat differently – after dancing with Britta he'd been all but mobbed by other women as Britta went back with Troy. As Annie was nowhere to be seen - _she's probably had a better offer_ he'd thought sourly - he'd indulged himself dancing with a succession of partners, but he couldn't shake how annoyed he was that she hadn't bothered to say goodbye before leaving so his mood soured up enough that he'd slipped off himself after a while. He'd checked his phone – no messages – and gone to a bar to drink himself stupid. When he woke up the following morning to a hangover but still no messages on his phone he – against his better judgement – sent Annie a one line message saying he hadn't seen her leave and hoped she'd got back okay, then went out for a long, strenuous run and exercise session to avoid thinking about it.

That evening, when he'd still got no reply, Jeff had taken his car out and driven over to Dildopolis. He’d parked his car and walked around to the back and saw the windows of her apartment brightly lit, and for a brief moment an Annie sized shadow walk past. _So you haven't had a fatal accident then – you're just ignoring me._ For the life of him, Jeff couldn't think what he'd done to deserve the cold shoulder, but he determined grimly that he'd done his bit to see she was safe and it was up to Annie to make the next move, if there was one.

Study group had been difficult on Monday morning – Jeff was out of sorts because he didn't know what was wrong with Annie, Troy and Britta were grinning at each other and even Abed was slightly distracted by something. Shirley was ignoring Troy and wanting only to talk about Britta and Jeff's dance, only Pierce was reliably himself. Unfortunately.

Spanish class was different too – Jeff instinctively looked around as soon as he walked in, but Annie's usual desk was empty. For that matter, Joelle and Marcia weren't there either. As they were leaving at the end of class, Abed came up to Jeff.

"Jeff, there's something you need to know." He showed Jeff the message on his phone. It was even more condensed than usual for Joelle's text speak, and it took a couple of readings for Jeff to be sure what it was saying. When he was, he broke into a dead run and headed for the car park.

XXXXXX

_Who is it now?_ Annie thought as somebody knocked on her door again. _Maybe if I'm quiet they'll go away._

"Open up Edison!" It was Jeff's voice.

 _Oh, no._ She thought to herself.

"Edison! I know you're in there - your crappy little car is still in the road outside!"

"Hey! It's all I could -" She shouted back, instinctively. _Seriously, Annie - you fell for that?_

"Open up or I'll kick the door down! One way or another we're talking!"

"There are three locks and two bolts on it Jeff - there's no way you're getting through!" Annie screamed back.

"I'm a big guy, I have muscles! It might take some time but I'm coming through - nobody around here will be calling the police!"

" _I_ will!"

"Then I'll tell them you're my emergency contact - I know you Edison, you wouldn't leave a friend to rot in jail - you'll come down to bail me out and then you'll have to talk to me!"

There was a crashing noise as Jeff kicked the door.

"Okay! Okay! Just stop, and I'll open it!" Annie rushed over to the door and started unlocking it.

" _Are we_ , Jeff?" She asked as she got the door open. "Are we friends?"

Of all the things Jeff had expected to hear from Annie, that had not been one of them. He had to gather his thoughts for a moment.

"Edison, what on earth is going on? I thought we were having fun on Saturday night, then you drop off the face of the earth, ignore everybody's messages and the next thing I hear - from Abed, not you - is that you're quitting Greendale and going to City College! And yes - we're friends!" Jeff practically screamed the last bit. "Why the heck would you think anything different?"

"Friends don't abandon each other just because some blonde in a dress that would get her arrested for public indecency in seventeen states wiggles her ass at them!"

"That's what this was all about? You're upset I danced with Britta?"

"I was there, Jeff! What you two were doing wasn't dancing - that was as close as you could get to sex in public while still fully dressed! People were pointing at me - pitying me!" Annie was practically screaming now - " _Oh, Winger's got a real woman now - he won't need that silly little girl anymore!_ " She sneered.

Jeff was utterly flabbergasted by the intensity of emotion pouring out of Annie.

"Okay Annie, first of all - we were dancing a tango, that's what it's like - if the Queen of England and the Pope danced a tango they'd look like they were about to have sex by the end of it. It doesn't mean they will - that's just how the tango is." Despite her determination not to be distracted Annie was reeling at the mental image Jeff had put in her head.

"And secondly, I'm sorry people pointed at you but _you_ were the one who bailed on _me_ , remember?"

"WHAT? Don't be ridiculous Jeff!"

"I'm not." Jeff said grimly. "Or do you not remember throwing me at Marcia when I was trying to make it clear I preferred to stay with the girl I'd been with all along? How about when I finally disentangled myself and came back, only to see you dancing with Troy? Do you not remember that either? And you certainly didn't look like you were hating the experience either." Jeff tried, but couldn't quite succeed in keeping the bitterness out of his voice.

Annie was speechless. Jeff wasn't. "So yes, I ran into Britta - she was feeling a bit rejected as well, she'd been dancing with Troy most of the night after all. And yes, I asked her to dance - after all, nobody else was dancing with either of us - and then 'Roxanne' started. It's a good tune to tango to, and the tango is a good dance to do when you're feeling angry and rejected. Then we parted and spent the rest of the night with other people. When I tried to find you, nobody had a clue where you'd gone."

Annie still didn't know what to say. She had replayed the events of Saturday night dozens of times in her mind since then, but not once had she thought how things might have looked from Jeff's point of view - in her experience Annie Edison was the one who got dumped, not the one who got to do the dumping, and certainly not where guys like Jeff Winger were concerned. That somebody like Jeff could not only be dumped by her, but feel hurt by it, was so far out of context for Annie that she simply did not know how to process the idea. Instead, she tried to break down what Jeff had said into pieces she could handle.

"I didn't throw you at Marcia to get rid of you, I just thought it was funny she wanted to dance with you." Annie said sadly. "And I thought Troy asked me to dance because you'd asked him to. And then when I saw you and the blonde looking so amazing together I thought you'd done it to get us out of the picture so you could have her to yourself."

Jeff was really confused now. "Why would you think that?"

"Because he said that he'd heard that I was using this as a replacement for the Prom I couldn't have, and that he'd consider it an honour if I let him have one last dance as Prom King. I'd only told you, Joelle and Marcia that and they don't know him, so..."

"We hooked Joelle up with Abed, remember?"

"Well I know that's how it happened now obviously - Marcia and Joelle told me. But it didn't occur to me at the time. And yes, I thought that it was nice he asked, and he's a guy I used to want to be with but is barely a friend now - a friend of a friend at most, really. Whereas you and the blonde -"

"Britta is a girl I used to want to be with but is just a friend now." Jeff derived a certain satisfaction from using Annie's words back at her.

"So you're not together then?" She said in a very small voice.

"Me and Britta? Good grief no - okay, the sex would probably be pretty fantastic for a while, but we'd be trying to kill each other within a month, and I'd rather stay alive. Some people are just better off staying friends." Jeff saw the expression on Annie's face and smiled. "Too much information?"

"A bit, yes." Annie said dryly. "Look, I'm really sorry Jeff - In all the time I spent going over this and obsessing about what it meant I never stopped to figure out what it must have looked like to you."

"And I guess I never stopped to think you had your reasons, too." Jeff admitted. "Look Edison - can I ask you a favour?" Annie nodded, with a surprised expression on her face.

"I know I can be a jerk sometimes, but I really care about you and don't want you to go anywhere. I will also say or do things that can be interpreted in more than one way - can I just ask that if one of those ways causes you hurt or pain, you will trust that I meant the other one? Or at least you will talk to me first?"

Annie smiled. "Yes Jeff, I think I can do that."

"And one other thing."

"Yes Jeff?"

"Can we please get out of here? Your apartment is very… you, but the neighbourhood depresses me."

"Where do you want to go?"

"Well, when I was a mess and you took some time out to support me you wanted to go to the park for a picnic. It's my turn now, and I've brought food." Jeff held up his backpack and held out his arm. "Shall we?"

Annie smiled, and linked her arm through his.

"After you, milord."

XXXXXX

(Later, in the park)

Jeff's choice of picnic goods was somewhat haphazard - basically what he could grab on a five minute run through the first store he'd passed when driving to Annie's apartment - but Annie appreciated it was the thought that counted and she'd eaten her share happily. She was now lying flat on the ground, her head resting on Jeff's chest as she looked up at the clouds. Jeff was idly looking at a strand of her hair that had got loose and was twisting in the breeze and wondering if she'd mind if he twirled it in his fingers.

There was however something Annie had been mulling over since they were in her apartment.

"You said earlier that some people are just better off staying friends. Is that how you see us?"

Jeff was silent for a long moment. "I don't think we've found what our relationship is meant to be yet, Edison. Everything we've tried so far has turned out to be a fiasco, after all."

"And yet here we are, still looking?"

"And yet here we are, still looking."

"Jeff?"

"Yes, Edison?"

"When you find an answer that works you will tell me, won't you?" Annie tried hard to make her voice sound casual, but she couldn't quite manage it.

Jeff smiled down at her. "On my honour as a disbarred lawyer with a fake degree."

"Jeff!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully that's these mixed up idiots back on track. And, having achieved what is presumably the unique feat of tying the Duke of Wellington into a Community fanfic, it seems appropriate to announce that next chapter war comes to Greendale!


	15. Eng Lit 121: Set text "Love in a Time of War"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our couple learn that sometimes they have to fight to be together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was beta'd over on ff.net by Jeffwik, who provided valuable suggestions and insights that made it a much stronger chapter. Thanks dude...

Week 21

(Group Study Room F, Jeff and Britta have arrived and are sniping at each other.)

"Ugh! - Oh good, more of this." Pierce said.

Jeff noticed the way the others are looking at them. "More of what?"

"What do you think? The constant bickering," added Shirley.

" It was cute at first, but well, Abed explains it best." Troy joined in. Britta and Jeff were starting to feel ganged up on.

"To be blunt," said Abed, "Jeff and Britta are no Ross and Rachel. Their sexual tension and lack of chemistry are putting us all on edge, which is why, ironically - and hear this on every level - they're keeping us from being friends."

"Jeff and I do not have sexual tension!" Britta said. "We just argue all the time."

"Want my advice? Pork her and move on. We did it all the time in my day." Pierce said.

"Or pork somebody at least." Abed said.

Jeff is shocked to hear him apparently endorse something Pierce said. "What the heck do you mean by that, Abed?"

"Your bickering with Britta is only a symptom, Jeff. The real cause of the sexual tension is the unresolved love triangle between you, Britta and Annie. You need to have sex with at least one of them to dissipate the tension."

"I'd-"

"Shut up, Pierce." Britta, Jeff and Shirley spoke out simultaneously.

"Abed, What the hell? Annie's got nothing to do with this!" Jeff attempted to continue, but is overridden by Shirley.

"Annie? You mean that cardigan wearing Jezebel who sits in the front row of Spanish class and is constantly trying to steal Britta's man?"

"Shirley! Annie's nothing like that! Anyway, I'm not Britta's-"

"He's not my –" Britta and Jeff shouted simultaneously.

"Theoretically, it could also be resolved by Britta and Annie sleeping together, but that's a low probability outcome only likely to happen during Sweeps Week, and we're too late in the season for that." Abed said.

"Abed!" Britta was appalled.

"As-"

"Shut up, Pierce."

"No, what needs to happen now is that Jeff has to sleep with one of them, apologise and declare his love for the other to reset the balance."

"Abed!" Jeff, Britta and Shirley shouted simultaneously.

For the life of him, Jeff never thought he'd actually be grateful to see the dean.

"Hey, everybody! Just a reminder - our spring fling is on the quad today. Music, food, activities." He was caressing Jeff's shoulder, Jeff was still partly stunned by the previous conversation and barely noticed. "There's also going to be a game of paintball assassin with a prize for last man standing. Or last man in a wheelchair with no paint on him."

"Or last woman." Britta wasn't in a much better mood than Jeff, but wasn't prepared to let that slide.

"Give it a rest, Britta." The dean snapped at her.

"Ahh, what's the prize?" said Troy.

"It was a blu-ray DVD player, but it was stolen. So now it's TBD."

The dean waved and left.

"I want TBD!" Troy said.

"Is that new? If it's what I think, I had it for about a month in the '70s." Said Pierce.

"Let's get back to Britta and Jeff." Said Shirley grimly.

"There is no Britta and Jeff."

"He said, fully erect." Snarked Pierce.

"Well, I'm going to let you guys figure this out while I go take a nap in my car." Jeff walked out of the room before he lost his temper any further.

XXXXXX

"Hi, Jeff!"

Jeff had been spotted walking across the Quad, he saw who was hailing him and smiled. "Hi Edison, what are you doing out here?"

"Just thought I'd check out the Spring Fling." She fell into place alongside him. "What about you – shouldn't you be studying with your group?"

Jeff had no intention of telling her the truth – Abed's theory was just too bizarre, and slipping off for a daytime nap is something _Pierce_ might do and Jeff really didn't want Annie bracketing him and Pierce together. He thought of something else he sometimes does instead.

"I need to get something from my car." Jeff said. "Walk with me Edison – a woman's opinion would come in handy for this."

Annie smiled at that. "Of course, Jeff."

XXXXXX

(Jeff's car)

"What do you need me here for, Jeff?" Annie asked.

Jeff fished a bag out of his car and pulled two shirts out of it – he was literally a man who brought spare clothes to school in case what he put on in the morning had gone out of fashion by lunchtime.

"I'm not sure the shirt I'm wearing is working any more. What do you think? Stick with it, or this, or this?" He held up a white shirt in his left hand and a blue one in his right.

"Um," Annie is looking both petrified and excited. "The blue one?"

Jeff flashed a full toothed smile at Annie. "I think you're right – thanks Edison, I knew it was a good idea to bring you."

Quite unselfconsciously, he peeled the shirt he's wearing off over his head, leaving Annie standing barely two feet away from his torso, covered only in a skin tight muscle shirt. Her eyes opened wide - Annie had actually seen Jeff naked before, but she was some distance away then and part of a crowd, being this close and on her own makes it feel as though he's doing it just for her somehow.

"I'll have what she's having!" A voice in the distance shouted out.

"Hey! It wasn't working…" Annie's voice faded out as she realised Jeff had finished getting dressed and was looking at her with a broad grin on his face as he realised she was blushing.

"What's the matter Edison? You've seen a lot more of me than this."

The last thing Annie needed then was to be reminded of Jeff's pool game as though Jeff had read her mind somehow.

"Jeff, stop it!" Annie stamped her foot in what was supposed to be an emphatic manner, but just caused Jeff to flash his Annie-does-something-cute-but-childish grin again.

"And stop that!" This time Annie turned her back and looked ready to stamp off.

"I'm sorry, Edison." The vain part of Jeff liked it that he can provoke such a reaction from Annie, but the part of him that's a friend realised his teasing may have gone a bit far. "Walk with me?" He held his arm out. "We can see what nonsense the dean has set up for us."

Annie still had an echo of her angry face on, but she linked her arm through Jeff's and let him lead her back to the Quad.

XXXXXX

(The Quad, Jeff and Annie had been wandering around the stalls for a couple of minutes when the tannoy crackled into life.)

" _Attention Greendale Students! I am able to announce the prize for the Paintball Assassin tournament!_ " The dean paused for a moment to milk the effect.

" _The prize is priority registration! The winning student will get first pick of all courses for next year's Fall semester!_ "

A rumbling noise rose as students suddenly paid attention.

" _You have until the bell chimes at midday -_ " it was then 11:54 " - _to gather your supplies and the tournament starts! Any student that assassinates another student before the chime sounds will be instantly disqualified. Good luck!_ "

"Jeff!" Said Annie. "We can make sure we can do all our courses together next year!" Her eyes were shining.

Jeff barely noticed what she said. "I can schedule all my courses for a Monday and have a six-day weekend." He said in an awestruck tone of voice.

"Come on, Jeff!" Annie had grabbed his hand and was attempting to drag him to the nearest stall handing out paintball supplies.

Jeff snapped out of his daydream. He stepped in front of Annie and ruthlessly used his height and strength to drag other students out of the way as he forced his way through the crowd gathering around the table. Annie fell in behind him, ignoring the cry of people being flung sideways.

Jeff reached the table, grabbed a pair of pistols and a box of ammunition, turned around and thrust them into Annie's hands. The crowd attempting to reach the table had got even larger and more tightly packed - Jeff realised he didn't have a chance of going around Annie to lead her out and on checking the time - 11:57 - realised he didn't have the time to be gentle. Annie squawked suddenly as Jeff lifted her clean off her feet, held her tightly against his chest and surged forward through the crowd by pure brute strength. By the time he was back in open space he realised there was less than a minute left before the bell was due to sound.

"Hold on -" he said, starting to run. Annie put one arm around his neck while the other held onto the guns and ammunition "When the bell goes, this place will be a killing field."

He carried her all the way to the Learning Resource Center, only putting her down at the bottom of the steps as the bell chimed. They raced up the steps to the front door together, and the shouting and screaming started as they shut the door behind them and headed down to Study Room B.

Annie - who had somehow managed to hang on to the guns and ammunition - dropped them on the table before sitting down.

"We need to lie low for a while," she said. "Half the student body will be out of the game in five minutes - after that the gangs will form and they'll start to hunt down the weaker players. We need to stay together if we're going to reach the end."

Jeff had a very slight expression of awe on his face. "Who are you and what have you done with my Annie? General Patton?"

Annie is both pleased and slightly embarrassed. "Actually, I read 'The Hunger Games'." She said.

Jeff nodded. "Okay then Katniss, let's tool up while - what's so funny?"

"Oh, Jeff." Annie had a huge smile on her face. "I've got an excuse for reading those books - I'm the target demographic - but you?"

_Dammit Winger_ , he thought to himself. _Why do you keep forgetting how smart this girl is? Just because she has strange obsessions, a schoolmarm's taste in cardigans and somehow manages to think you're a decent person despite knowing you for months now - as well as being unbearably cute when she thinks she's scored one on you - doesn't make her stupid._

What he actually said though is "I never said I read it Edison, I may have read about it in 'The New York Review of Books' though."

Annie clearly didn't believe a word of it. She had however loaded one of the pistols and slid it across the table to Jeff. She proceeded to load the other. "How many clips can you handle?" Jeff only had his pockets.

"Give me half a dozen." Annie nodded, slid them across the table and tipped the rest into her backpack.

"Which pocket is the ammunition pocket?" Jeff said, she stuck her tongue out at him.

XXXXXX

They'd been in Study Room B for half an hour, talking occasionally while keeping an eye on the door and an ear for feet on the stairs.

"It's been almost ten minutes since I last heard anything." Annie said.

"Do you want to see what's happening outside?"

"Might as well, we're going to have to leave here at some point." They headed out the door and up the stairs, taking it in turns to cover each other. When they reached the outside door, Jeff opened it cautiously while Annie stuck her compact mirror out. When she confirmed there was nobody visible, they stepped out.

"What the - " Jeff said in awe. The Quad was devastated - broken stalls and furniture everywhere.

They made their way cautiously down the Quad.

Suddenly a voice rang out from behind them. "Hey Jeff and Annie, what say we -"

Jeff pivoted on the spot and fired three times. Doctor Rich's perfect smile looked somewhat more forced after Jeff shot him in the face. "Well, I guess that means I'm going home then." He turned around and walked away.

"Was that really necessary, Jeff?" Said Annie.

"Oh, yes." He replied.

"Well then, what do we do next?"

"I don't know about you, but I haven't eaten since breakfast and I have no idea how long this thing is going to last - want to try the cafeteria?"

Annie shrugged and followed him. As they got closer to the cafeteria, they heard the sounds of a strange battle going on inside.

"Point!"

"Counterpoint!"

"Rejoinder!"

"It sounds like the debate club is having a civil war." Annie said to Jeff.

She stepped out of their hiding place and walked through the doors.

"Hi Annie - someone called out. "Where have you been?" Annie looked around, there were only three left.

"Hi Dave, Tricia, Mike," she said, drawing her gun and shooting on each name. Mike had actually tried to run as the first two went down, Annie shot him in the back just as he was reaching the back entrance to the cafeteria.

"Debate over, victory Edison." Jeff said wryly as he stepped through the door and saw the shocked expressions of Annie's victims.

"Bye, guys."

"Edison, can you keep an eye on the door while I check the serving station for food?"

"Sure, Jeff."

Jeff cautiously crossed the cafeteria, making sure nobody else was hiding. He'd just ducked behind the serving station when he heard voices coming in from outside.

"C'mon boys, let's hustle!" Followed by the sound of paintball guns firing.

"Basketball team!" Annie screamed, even as she returned fire and dived away from the door.

There were too many of them - Annie was being driven across the cafeteria, away from Jeff. For a nanosecond, Jeff considered hiding and letting Annie take the fall. _Oh, crap._ He said to himself instead and jumped on top of the serving counter, gripping his gun double-handed and firing, taking down the closest two basketball players. "Hey boys - can you handle a real man?" He screamed.

The basketball team was distracted from their pursuit of Annie just long enough for her to dive into an air conditioning duct that was missing its cover. "I'll find you, Edison!" Jeff screamed, jumping off the counter only narrowly ahead of a flurry of paintball pellets and diving through the back door to the cafeteria. He picked himself up and fled down the corridor, the basketball team in hot pursuit.

XXXXXX

It felt like Jeff had been running forever before he managed to shake the remaining members of the basketball team, but in fact it had been barely an hour since this madness started. He was cautiously inching his way down a corridor when he saw a body slumped on the floor under a Spring Fling banner. Momentarily overtaken by curiosity he pulled it aside.

"Animals! They're all animals!" Garrett screamed. Jeff suddenly saw a dot of laser light on Garrett's chest and instinctively dived sideways as two paintballs slammed into Garrett's chest. Jeff looked around and saw Leonard heading towards him. Jeff aimed and fired - only to hear the click of an unloaded gun. Jeff picked himself up and fled round the corner. To his shock he saw Abed coming the other way, gun outstretched. Jeff suddenly dropped flat , as Abed somehow ran up the wall, shooting over Jeff's head.

"Aw, you suck." Leonard turned away in disgust.

"Come with me if you don't want paint on your clothes." Abed said to Jeff. Abed led Jeff inside Chang's classroom. Troy was covering them as they went through the door.

"Hey. Look what I found wandering the neutral zone." Abed said.

"Jeff Winger, you son of a bitch! I thought you were dead, man!" Troy walked over with a smile on his face and gave Jeff a hug. Jeff returned it.

"I was with Annie," Jeff said. "We were separated when the basketball team attacked the cafeteria, she's still out there on her own, guys."

"I'm sorry Jeff, she won't last long on her own."

_You don't know her like I do_. Jeff thought to himself.

"Every student wants that prize Jeff, and there's no way to share it, so we'll eventually all turn on each other. But the longer we wait to do that the longer we work together, the longer we last." Abed said. "The packs are forming, Jeff. Do you want in on ours, or are you a lone wolf?"

Jeff sighed. "Count me in guys - but I'm not giving up on Annie just yet, okay?"

XXXXXX

(Jeff Troy and Abed teamed up, and after a tense confrontation in the men's toilet, also teamed up with Shirley and Britta. They found Pierce looting the vending machines with Starburns, Pierce shot Starburns and joined them. Shortly after they lost Troy and Pierce when the study group took down the Glee Club. They retired to the remains of the cafeteria as dark fell and talked around a campfire. All this time Jeff was keeping an eye out for Annie, feeling guilty at his inability to keep the promise he'd made as he fled the cafeteria last time. There was one more battle to be fought in the cafeteria, as the Study Group was attacked by a gang of disco rollerskaters. They were victorious but at the cost of losing Abed and Shirley and leaving Britta and Jeff as the only members of the Study Group still standing.)

"Oh, my God, you've been hit!" Said Britta.

"What? Oh, no!" Jeff gasped.

"Wait, wait. It's blood!" He almost giggled with relief. "I thought it was paint, but I'm just bleeding. Talk about luck, eh?"

Britta rolled her eyes at him. "There's a first aid kit in the library. Let's go back to the Study Room." As they left the cafeteria, neither of them noticed a figure slip out of a storage cupboard and follow them at a cautious distance.

XXXXXX

Jeff was bending down behind the librarian's station looking for the first aid kit.

"You know," he said. "We saw no sign of anybody else on the walk over here. Do you think we could be the last two left?"

"Could be." Said Britta.

"What do you want to do about the prize? Jeff said. "Ah, there it is." He picked up the first aid kit.

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm thinking of shooting you in the back and taking it for myself - I mean, for Shirley."

Jeff slowly put the first aid kit down on the counter, his hands above his head, stood up and turned round. "Oh Britta - after all we've been through together…"

"Do go on Jeff - I'd love to see you Winger Speech your way out of this one." Britta stated, with a victorious grin on her face.

Jeff was now facing his blonde friend full on, looking straight down the barrel of her gun. He risked a quick glance over her right shoulder.

"You're right Britta - I've got nothing. I think she does, however... "

"Really, you don't expect me to fall - "

"BYE, BYE, MISS AMERICAN PIE!" Screamed a new voice. Britta was already turning - but far too late to prevent Annie hitting her with half a clip of pellets.

"Seriously Jeff? Your little friend?" Britta looked at the pair of them with disgust, and stormed out.

"I have a name, you know." Annie said sadly as Britta passed through the doors.

"Annie, that was amazing!" The little brunette practically bounced with delight. "Where have you been all this time?"

"Hiding in the air vents and storage cupboards mostly. I was the last of the solos, and your study group and the Disco Assassins were the last of the gangs - when you took them out and you and the blonde" - Annie's voice practically dripped with disdain - "were the only ones left I thought it was time to come out of hiding and try to finish this. So - here's your question back at you: what do you want to do about the prize?"

Jeff took a long look at his friend while he considered his answer - knee length grey skirt and hose, a shirt that looked more like an artist's smock (trust Annie to wear something designed to get paint on) which she had somehow acquired since the last time he saw her and a pistol in each hand, ready but not pointed at him.

She fidgeted slightly under his cool gaze, but did not back down.

"How about we settle this Wild West style?" Jeff said. "We go out in the Quad, stand back to back, walk ten paces then turn and fire. First hit wins."

"Deal," Annie smiled. Then her eyes flicked to the blood on his shirt and the first aid kit, and her smile faded. "But first let me treat that wound - I got a first aid badge in the Girl Scouts, you know."

"Of course you did, "Jeff said as he lazily peeled off his muscle shirt. Annie's eyes opened wide as she allowed herself a long look at his muscled torso for the second time that day. _Well, he spent enough time eyeing me up_. She said to herself. _Fair's fair._

Annie cleaned Jeff's wound with efficient swipes of a damp cloth, sterilised it with some iodine - Jeff manfully suppressed a flinch - and applied a dressing. Her touch had been soft and gentle, even if her fingers did tremble slightly. Jeff looked her in the eyes and smiled.

The petite brunette blushed and smiled back one of those smiles that always managed to light up a room. Jeff smiled again, and for no reason that made sense to him planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "You make a very good nurse, Annie."

Annie was painfully aware of just how close Jeff was, the heat rising from his body, the sheer physical masculinity of him that was so different from her high school boyfriend, who was the only other man - boy, really - to get this close to her. She was also very aware of the spot burning on her forehead where he'd kissed her and how it seemed to validate every hope, every dream she'd had since that first day in the cafeteria. She hesitated for a moment, then suddenly leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips. Feeling like she'd gone too far somehow, she pulled back. "I'm sorr-"

Annie cut her apology short as, looking at the almost hungry expression that had appeared on Jeff's face, she realised she hadn't misread the moment after all. This time when she leaned forward Jeff met her halfway as he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back in for a much more passionate, open mouthed kiss. Annie's arms reached around his back as she returned the kiss with equal passion and desperation.

An alarm started clanging in Jeff's head as thoughts started crowding in. _She's only nineteen, you monster! She's your friend! She's Annie!_ Jeff tried to pull away, but only got as far as making eye contact as, on seeing the wild look in her eyes, the part of Jeff that knew _exactly_ what to do when faced with a beautiful young woman with fire in her eyes and tearing at his clothes ruthlessly shoved the other part of him aside and with brute strength picked up Annie and laid her flat on the study room table. Annie ripped off her shirt as Jeff scrambled out of his tight jeans and boxer shorts. He pushed Annie's skirt up past her waist and grabbed hold of the waistband of her underwear and pantyhose and yanked them all the way off. He spread her legs and positioned himself between them.

"Are you sure?" He said, making eye contact again.

"Stop talking." She gasped in reply.

XXXXXX

_ The observer's attention is distracted by a lightbulb flickering in the main body of the library, and beyond that by the sight of a piece of paper skipping across the Quad in a night breeze. Our point of view closes in on it and sees it's the front page of last week's Gazette Journal Mirror with a half page picture of Jeff and Britta in mid-tango. The piece of paper skips across the Quad, eventually plastering against an office window. Inside, the dean and Chang are plotting how to avoid awarding the prize. Our viewpoint moves on, heading towards the student dorm where Abed Nadir is returning from the cafeteria. Abed looks at the hand painted sign somebody has placed on the door – VALHALLA – and passes inside to where the fallen veterans of the paintball war are holding a small party. Troy Barnes greets him with a broad grin and their special handshake and passes him a diet coke. Abed tells the gathered crowd about the battle in the cafeteria and gives his opinion that only Britta and Jeff are left. Marcia, whose head is resting on Pavel's lap, points out that nobody has heard or seen anything of Annie since she took out half the cheerleading squad and disappeared into the air conditioning ducts hours earlier. _

_Our point of view rises into the night sky above Greendale and drifts across town to a small house in the suburbs where Shirley Bennett's car is just popping into the drive. We follow her indoors and watch as she looks in on her sleeping boys. Shirley smiles, then kisses them on their foreheads, taking care not to wake them up before retreating to her own bedroom._

_Our viewpoint once again rises high into the sky and passes at speed over the town, to pause only briefly at Hawthorne Mansion to confirm Pierce is fast asleep before heading back into town where Britta Perry has arrived back at her small apartment where a scrawny, one-eyed cat proceeds to wrap itself around her leg. Britta smiles, scratches it behind the ear and opens a can of cat food before heading for the shower and bed._

_For the last time, our point of view rises into the night sky above Greendale. We pause to admire the full moon shining down without fear or favour on the rich and the poor, the happy and the sad and the loved and the lonely before descending once again on Greendale Community College and heading back to the library. We wait a moment outside Study Room F, and on hearing only quiet voices engaged in conversation, slip back inside._

XXXXXX

Annie has dreamed on more than one occasion of what sex with Jeff would be like - he would be wearing an expensive, tailored suit (a tuxedo since Spring Formal), she an elegant, sophisticated dress. There would be a candlelit dinner and discreet music, they would have witty, engaging conversation and she would watch the desire rise in his eyes as he slowly realised what a mature, sophisticated and intelligent woman she was. Then there would be a slow dance, their eyes would meet and there would be a kiss. Jeff would sweep her off her feet and the lovemaking would be as elegant and sophisticated as the rest of the evening.

Raw, physical passion on a study room table had never featured in any of her dreams. And yet…

"So that's what sex is supposed to be like." She said in a faint voice.

"Annie? Are you - damn, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have…."

"No Jeff. I'm not a virgin. It's just I've never had an… an... before."

Jeff smiled to himself, still looking at the ceiling.

"Annie, you're allowed to say 'orgasm', especially if you've just had one."

"Yes, that. And thank you, but I'd rather not!"

Jeff rolled over and took a good look at Annie for the first time since he'd finished. As he saw the expression on her face - a heartbreaking mixture of shock and fear as she failed to quite meet his eyes - the smile died on his lips and The Voice came back in force.

_Monster._

_Monster._

_Monster!_

Jeff also turned away and concentrated on putting his own clothes on as he tried to shut out The Voice.

_She's nineteen!_

_She's your friend!_

Dammit - if this was what having a conscience was like, Jeff wasn't sure it was worth it. He'd spent so long trying to control himself around Annie, and then he goes and does _this?_

The thoughts going through Annie's mind were quite different, but fully reflective of the fear on her face. _He's only interested in women until he sleeps with them. This is where I start to lose him._

It was perhaps fortunate that Jeff couldn't look at Annie at that moment as it meant that he was looking at the study room door instead just as Chang in his white suit pushed it open, stepped through and brought his paintball machine gun to bear.

"Cover!" Jeff shouted, diving behind the overturned couch even as pellets started flying past his head. He risked turning his head around and breathed a small sigh of relief as Annie gave him the thumbs up from behind the returned books stack.

"Buenos dias, children!" Chang shouted. "You'll be happy to know you made it all the way to the end!"

"You're not even a student!" Jeff cried.

"Wrong! Critical media literacy and politics of gender, biatch!"

Jeff shot off a handful of pellets in Chang's general direction. The Spanish teacher responded by opening fire with his machine gun again, until as if bored with the lack of results he was getting he dropped it and pulled out a massive pair of gold painted pistols.

The Study Room was suddenly filled with an ear splitting scream as Annie climbed on the top of the book stack and leapt towards Chang, firing as she flew through the air. Chang pivoted and started shooting back, pelting Annie in mid air even as pellets exploded on his pristine white suit.

Jeff climbed out from behind his couch and walked over to where Annie was prone on the floor. "Annie? Are you okay?"

She rolled over and smiled, genuinely this time. "Claim the prize, Jeff. For both of us."

Chang started laughing as Jeff picked up the discarded machine gun.

"What's so funny, Chang?"

"Maybe it's the fact there's no such thing As priority registration! Or Maybe it's this -"

He opened his jacket to reveal a paint bomb vest with a timer counting down from five.

Jeff instinctively turned and dived through the door. As he crashed into the floor on the other side, he heard the faint thump of the bomb going off and turned, seeing to his relief that the door had closed in time to contain the blast.

Right. Time to end this.

XXXXXX

(Next day)

"….Or maybe it's that I have emerged victorious! With a priority registration form." Jeff said. Everybody applauded.

"Ohh! Well done, Jeff." Pierce said.

"And in recognition of her bravery, Not to mention her children, I hereby award this to the best soldier, Shirley."

"Ohh!"

"Now, the bad news is, For legal purposes, next semester If anybody asks you have gout. Do you mind walking with a limp?"

"Mm. Thank you, Jeffrey."

"Wow, I didn't see that coming." Said Britta.

"Neither did I." Said Jeff, with a slightly stunned expression on his face.

"I mean, I thought you'd have given it to you little friend if anybody. She did save your ass when I had the drop on you, after all."

"Yes well, you know me Britta, never knowingly grateful. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and lie down in a dark room to get over the fact that I did a good deed, however accidentally."

Jeff strode out of the library, down the steps and across the Quad to the Learning Resource Center. As she often was when she didn't have class, Annie was in Study Room B - the dark, windowless one nobody else liked - reading her course books. She looked up as she heard the door open and smiled as she saw who it was.

"Oh, hi Jeff!"

"Hi Annie. Do you, ah, want to talk about last night?" Jeff felt suddenly uncertain - what was wrong with him? After he had sex with a woman he usually couldn't wait to get rid of her - why was he seeking this one out instead? _Because this isn't just another one of your women - this is Annie_. The Voice said. _She's your friend, and you owe it to her._ Jeff wasn't good when it came to responsibility and putting others first, but deep inside of him there was a treacherous part of his subconscious that recognised this girl had changed the rules. _Very well._ Jeff replied.

Annie sat up straight in her seat and blushed. She had a nervous smile on her face. "It's alright Jeff, I know things got crazy and out of control and they don't have to mean anything in the light of day."

"Annie, I -"

"Jeff - it's okay. You don't have to worry about me. We were friends before yesterday and we're friends today, nothing has changed - I'm not going to be crazy or silly about this."

Jeff was dismayed - he had not expected Annie to be the rational one, the one to try and put things in context. He thought he was the one who would be letting her down gently - he didn't exactly welcome their roles being reversed. He was about to speak out when the Voice spoke up again in the back of his head, still stern but gentler this time.

_Annie's a better friend than you deserve. There are already plenty of people in her life who hurt her, don't be one of them._

"Yeah." He realised he'd replied out loud. To cover it, he carried on talking. "Annie, I just want to say one thing before we go on."

"Yes, Jeff?"

"Last night? It wasn't a mistake. Yes it was crazy, yes it wouldn't have happened any other night, and yes it was hardly what friends do. _But it wasn't a mistake_." Jeff wasn't sure how much he believed this himself, but he was very good at making other people believe things.

"I don't want either of us to regret it or to get hurt by it, okay? You're my best friend in this asylum and I don't want to lose my best friend over this." This on the other hand he believed with every fibre of his being.

Annie smiled. There may have been tears at the corners of her eyes. "That's a deal, Jeff. I don't want to lose my best friend over it either."

"Great." Jeff was feeling simultaneously both deflated and relieved. He tried to lighten the mood.

"I've got something." With a flourish, he pulled out a form from his folder.

"Priority Registration Form. For you, Milady." he passed it over the table. Annie squeaked with surprise.

"Oh Jeff - you didn't have to do this!"

I know, but I wanted to." Annie's smile was even bigger, if that was possible. "Anyway," he grinned lasciviously, "I got a much better prize last night."

"Jeeeeeffff…" She said, warningly.

He grinned again. "The Dean agreed I could keep my priority parking space for another year!" - Jeff shuddered slightly as a memory flashed through his brain of the Dean demanding a picture of him in his muscle shirt and holding a gun in return for the extra form and parking privileges - Annie rolled her eyes but she couldn't resist a grateful smile. "Now, the bad news is, for legal purposes, next semester If anybody asks you have leprosy." Annie squawked. "Do you own a bell?"

XXXXXX

For the next few minutes, they actually talked with something approaching ease, but soon Jeff had to leave for a class. As he picked up his bag, he looked over at Annie.

"So, we're really okay?"

Annie smiled. "Yes Jeff, we're okay."

As Jeff left, Annie finally let go of the strain of trying to be who she thought Jeff wanted her to be and buried her head in her hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so some of you are probably asking - what the heck happened in that middle section? Simple answer - I discovered (a) I don't enjoy writing sex scenes, and (b) if I try to nevertheless I'm rubbish at it. I am however a great admirer of the Welsh poet and playwright Dylan Thomas, so I decided to make a feature out of a bug and leave Jeff and Annie their privacy and give you that "Under Milk Wood" inspired tour of Greendale at night instead. I hope it didn't disrupt the flow of things too much.


	16. Diplomacy for Beginners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeff and Annie learn that friends in need are friends indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thanks to Jeffwik over at ff.net for beta'ing this and giving ideas for improving it.

 

Week 22

Jeff and Annie were not okay.

It was Abed who first noticed. He and Joelle had taken to meeting up in the Quad a couple of times a week and playing a game whereby they'd look at people going by and deduce increasingly implausible stories about them that still fit with observable evidence. On Monday lunchtime when they were doing this they saw Jeff and Annie emerge from one of the buildings around the quad and walk halfway across it - side by side, hands in pockets - and then part to head in different directions. There was a brief moment of hesitation and then a little wave from each of them and they turned their backs on each other.

"Something's changed." Abed said.

"They're not comfortable with each other any more." Joelle added.

"They haven't fought, or we'd have heard."

"And they always make up when they do anyway." Joelle agreed.

They both suddenly looked at each other. "They've had sex." They said at the same time.

"And it's tearing them apart." Abed added.

"I'll talk to Annie." Joelle said.

"And I'll talk to Jeff." Abed added.

XXXXXX

(Later that day)

"Jeff, we need to talk."

"Sure Abed, about what?"

"Not here – in private." Abed quickly looked around and dragged Jeff into an empty classroom.

"Abed – what's going on?" Jeff was starting to get annoyed by the cloak and dagger stuff.

Abed double-checked to make sure nobody was listening.

"You and Annie have had sex, Jeff."

"Abed, what the hell? I'm not going to stand here and listen to this!" Jeff was furious now and tried to push past Abed to get out.

"If you don't talk about it now Jeff, you'll have to talk about it in Study Group – and you know what Shirley will do to you if she finds out."

"Dammit Abed – this is blackmail." Jeff grated out.

"It's for your own good, Jeff." Abed said, his voice as flat and emotionless as ever.

"Okay then, Abed – two questions." Jeff said grimly. "Firstly – why on earth would you think such a thing, and secondly what business is it of yours?"

Abed nodded. "Fair enough Jeff. Firstly – you and Annie have changed around each other. Your platonic physical intimacy has gone –"

"Our _what_?"

"Platonic physical intimacy. You know, the way you guys are always walking around with a hand looped through an elbow or an arm thrown across shoulders, depending on which side of the height differential initiates contact. Then there's the goodbye hugs and the playful punches, the hand holding and lingering gazes –"

 _Good grief, do we really do all that?_ Jeff said to himself – he's not the most introspective of individuals and sometimes it takes an outsider to point out certain things. But Abed was still speaking.

"It's nice. Especially when it's somebody as emotionally stunted as you making an actual connection with another human being."

"Gee, thanks Abed – having you call me out on my lack of emotional depth is like having Charlie Sheen express his concern about all the drugs I'm doing."

"No problem, Jeff. But the thing is, you guys aren't doing that anymore. The obvious conclusion is that the platonic physical intimacy isn't platonic anymore – you can't touch her without remembering what it feels like to _touch her_ , if you know what I mean."

"That's not much to build a theory on like this, Abed." Jeff said tightly.

"There's at least one other piece of evidence, Jeff."

"Go on…"

"We've been talking for several minutes now and you still haven't denied it."

 _Dammit_. "Okay then, Abed – even if we assume, for the sake of argument and without admitting anything, that you're on to something. There's still my second question – what business is it of yours?"

"I like you Jeff. And I like Annie. And somehow – I have no idea how – you guys work together. You're less of a self obsessed jerkass when she's around and she's more at peace with herself when you are. This thing we're not talking about however and not admitting happened? It's driving you two apart. And that makes me sad. You need to set things right with her." Abed's face was as expressionless as ever.

"Annie and I are okay, Abed." Jeff was struggling to hold on to his temper. "We've talked, and we're okay. What happens next is nobody's business. Now if you'll excuse me -" Jeff pushed past Abed. This time, Abed let him go.

XXXXXX

Joelle's conversation with Annie was somewhat shorter.

"Annie, you're an idiot."

"Whaaa-"

"You've been trying to land that other idiot for months. You finally do it, and now you're acting like he's radioactive."

"Eeee –"

"Calm yourself down and talk to him. It was only sex, it's not like it was something important."

"Joelle!"

"You guys are good together Annie, don't throw it away just because you got an itch scratched."

"!!!!" Annie can actually squeal punctuation.

"just think about it okay? Nice to talk to you." Joelle hugged a near-catatonic Annie and walked away.

XXXXXX

(That evening)

Abed had invited Joelle around to his dorm room. They were planning on watching "When Harry Met Sally" by way of research into what to do about couples who are meant to be together but waste years because they can't admit it.

"How did your talk with Annie go?" Abed asked.

"Pretty well, I think. Yours with Jeff?"

"He's still in denial. He claims he's already talked to Annie and doesn't need to again. Is Annie going to talk to him?"

Joelle suddenly looked slightly uncertain. "She didn't say she wasn't going to…"

Abed nodded once. "I think we need to watch the movie."

XXXXXX

(Wednesday, student lounge)

Abed was trying to convince Joelle to play the love interest in his Kickpuncher fan video. Joelle wasn't convinced acting was her thing.

"Uh-oh. Game on." Abed said. Joelle looked up. Jeff had just got something from a vending machine, he'd turned around and seen Annie walk into the lounge. The two of them smiled uncertainly at each other, hesitated for a moment and walked towards each other. They talked for a moment or two then smiled uncertainly again. They looked as if they wanted to hug, but they did a little wave instead and then turned and walked away. Both Abed and Joelle saw their shoulders slump when they thought the other could no longer see them.

"They're as bad as ever." Joelle said.

"Worse, if anything." Abed added.

"Operation Crystal?"

"Is a go." Said Abed. "I'll brief Troy."

"I'll brief Marcia."

XXXXXX

(Later that day)

"Jeff, can I ask a favour?"

"Of course Troy, what is it?"

"I've started playing pool – it looked really cool when you did it – in a hall in town. I thought I was doing really well until last night, when I got fleeced for over a hundred bucks."

Jeff smirked. "And now you want Winger the Ringer to turn up and win your money back?"

Troy grinned hugely. "You got it, Jeff. Can I pick you up at 7:30 tonight?"

"Sure Troy, see you then."

XXXXXX

"Oh come on Annie, it'll be fun! The three of us'll go to the movies, watch a silly romcom and pig out on popcorn and corn syrup based drinks. And most importantly of all, it'll be a girls' night out only – no guys!"

"Oh I don't know Marcia, there's schoolwork to do."

"It'll still be there when you come back, and if you take an evening out to de-stress you'll work much more efficiently when you get back to it."

Marcia made it sound tempting, and most importantly Annie did feel the need to de-stress.

"Okay, it's a deal!"

"That's great – we'll pick you up at 7:30."

XXXXXX

(That night)

"You ready, Jeff?"

"Just coming, Troy." Jeff was in his pool hustler outfit – black jeans, shirt and leather jacket. "Lets go – oh hi Abed, are you coming?"

"He saw 'The Color of Money' last night and wants to do a pool movie now." Troy said.

"You'll be a natural for the Paul Newman role Jeff – the elder statesman of the game defending his crown, but I need to see if Troy can handle the Tom Cruise role of cocky newcomer out to take it off him."

"Of course you do Abed. Let's go, guys."

XXXXXX

"You ready, Annie?" Marcia and Joelle were banging on the door of her apartment.

"Coming!" Annie's voice sang out to the accompaniment of bolts being slid back.

"Let's go guys!" Annie had a slightly too cheery smile on her face, she was wearing a long flowery dress and a bright green cardigan. _Well, that sets everything back at least six months._ Marcia thought as they walked down to where the car was parked.

XXXXXX

"This isn't a pool hall." Jeff said.

XXXXXX

"This isn't a movie theatre." Annie said.

XXXXXX

Jeff realised what was going on as soon as he saw the girls approaching from the other direction. His instinctive reaction was to turn and flee, but the boys were ready for that and had gripped his elbows before he could even start running. As he looked ahead, he could see Annie was being similarly restrained.

"It's an intervention, Jeff. And it's for your own good." Abed said.

They arrived at the door of the restaurant, a small Mexican place, and went inside. "Good evening, ladies." Jeff said for all the world as if he didn't have his arms pinned to his side.

"They got you too, did they Jeff?" Annie said with a forced grin.

"Okay," Interrupted Abed. "This is what's going to happen. You two will be sitting at that table over there" - he pointed to a table for two at the back of the restaurant - "while we sit here" - he pointed at a table for four by the door. "If either of you tries to run, Troy will bring you down - you do not want to be tackled by a star quarterback."

"I'm only a little girl." Annie said, deploying her best Disney eyes.

"Annie, let's be realistic." Marcia said. "I think everybody here thinks Jeff is more likely to run than you are."

"Love you too, Marcia."

"Shut up, Jeff. Abed?"

"The only back door is through the kitchens, and the staff have been instructed on no account to let either of you out that way. You two are going to sit down, order dinner, and talk. You will keep talking until you've worked through whatever this weirdness is that's stopping you be friends. And if you're thinking of running down the clock, the restaurant is open until 2AM and the tables have been booked for the duration."

"Abed!"

"Sit down at your table, Jeff."

Jeff was seriously thinking of running again, but one look at the expression on Troy's face told him he really didn't want to be a tackle dummy so he conceded with as much grace as he could muster.

"Edison? After you."

Thank you, Jeff." Annie said as Jeff pulled out a chair for her and slid it underneath her as she sat down. Jeff took a seat opposite her.

A waiter appeared as if from nowhere and took their drinks order - sparkling mineral water with ice and lemon for Jeff and apple juice for Annie.

"You're looking very attractive tonight, Edison. That's a very charming dress you're wearing."

"This old thing? I just threw it on. You're looking very dashing yourself, Jeff."

"Thanks, this is my pool hustler look."

Jeff could barely believe the rubbish they were talking about.

"What the heck are we doing, Edison? We'll be complimenting each other's hair next!"

There was a hint of a smile on Annie's face. "Yours is nice, Jeff."

"Of course it is! It always is." He smiled himself, then it went away.

"Is this the best we can do, Annie?"

"What do you want to talk about, Jeff?"

"I've no idea - oh, sorry." The waiter had arrived with their drinks and asked if they were ready to order. Jeff and Annie quickly scanned the menu and placed their orders.

"Where was I? Oh yes - what to talk about. Whatever it takes to get our friends-slash-kidnappers to let us go I suppose."

Annie looked him square in the eye. "They want us to talk about why things are so weird between us."

"They're-"

"Don't even try to deny it Jeff. Ever since we - you know - did it things have been terrible."

Jeff looked deep into Annie's eyes and tried to see what was there. It's not the sort of thing he's good at, but his conscience was insisting he owed her the effort. "Oh, crap." He said at last as realisation finally swept over him of the depth of emotional turmoil Annie had been going through. "Something which should have been great has just become another of the ways I've managed to hurt you, hasn't it?"

"Not yet it hasn't." Annie was trying to smile. "I was as keen on it as you at the time, remember?"

"Tha-" Jeff suddenly realised the significance of what she'd said. "What do you mean by _not yet_?"

Annie froze, with an expression of dismay on her face. Jeff's blood ran cold.

"You've been waiting for me to lose interest in you and walk away now that I've had my way, haven't you? That's why you've been looking so upset all the time."

"I'm sorry Jeff, but -"

"Why should you be any different to most of the other women I've slept with over the years?" Jeff completed her sentence for her. Jeff had a flash of insight as to how this woman - his friend - must see him. He didn't much like what he saw.

Annie nodded miserably. "I've always liked you the way you are Jeff, I've never asked you to change for me. I just don't want to lose the friendship we had."

Jeff sighed. "You've never had to ask, Edison." _You change people just by allowing them into your life._ Annie looked up at him in surprise. "You remember what I said after you found out about Slater and me?"

"You said a lot of things Jeff."

"I said that knowing you had turned me into someone who could handle being in a relationship. And I really thought I was doing well, too - right up until Slater dumped me."

"You were, Jeff - it's not your fault the first woman you had a proper relationship with turned out to be a bitch."

"Don't be so polite, Edison - she was a female version of me. I got a taste of what it feels like to be used and discarded when the other side gets bored."

 _You said it so I don't have to_. Annie kept that one to herself.

"Are you showing signs of maturity, Jeff?" She said instead.

"I hope not." Jeff replied with a wry smile.

"But here's the thing, Edison. That wasn't the only thing you changed about me. After Michelle dumped me, I tried to go back to my old ways - I really did. I was bitter and disillusioned so I'd put on a sharp suit and go to bars and try to pick up women. I did well, too."

"Jeff, I don't want -"

"Relax, Edison. I'm getting to it - there would always come a point in the evening when an annoying voice at the back of my head would ask me to estimate just exactly how disappointed you'd be if you saw what I was doing. Not angry or distressed - disappointed. And it stopped being fun after that. I'd fake an emergency and leave the bar. I'm not sure I can be that guy anymore - I can't stop treating women as people. _And it's all your fault_. My conscience wears a bright pastel cardigan these days." He looked at her fondly. A very small voice was screaming at Jeff from deep in his subconscious - _you idiot! You've just taken a vow of celibacy for as long as you're friends with this girl!_ Jeff took a good look at the smile that was just starting to spread across Annie's face and batted that voice aside without a moment's further thought. _I'll cross that bridge when I come to it._

_Did you just say you can't sleep with women who aren't me anymore?_ The thought flashed unbidden through Annie's mind. She stamped down on it before it got out of control. _No. That's not possible. Surely?_

Jeff carried on talking. "Anyway, if I can't do that to strangers any more, there's no way I'm going to do it to you. I meant what I said on my Christmas card to you, you know."

"I am now, and will always be, your friend." Annie said quietly. She had looked at the card so many times she had memorised the contents.

"That's the one."

"You really can talk anyone around, can't you?" Annie smiled fully for the first time that evening.

Jeff grinned. "That's the Winger guarantee, baby."

XXXXXX

"It looks like they're talking." Abed said.

"Yes, but about what? We've got to know!" Troy said.

"It doesn't matter." Joelle said. "Just look at them."

Jeff was casually leaning back in his seat. Annie's face had just lit up at something he'd said. He leaned forward across the table, took hold of her hand and raised it to his lips. He only seemed to say one word, her reply was equally brief, but she blushed and giggled as she said it. They settled back into their seats as the waiter arrived with the food.

"Aw." Troy said.

Joelle looked at Abed. " Mission accomplished?"

Abed nodded. "Operation Crystal is now over."

"So Troy," said Marcia. "Are you seeing anyone?"

The quarterback had a barely concealed expression of panic on his face.


	17. Recidivism and Rehabilitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeff realises once again how lucky he is to know Annie.

 

Week 23

(Jeff and Annie were having lunch in the cafeteria)

"Is that a carb on your plate?" Annie was shocked.

"Portion control is the key, Annie - exercise the right sort of discipline with your regular meals and you can afford the occasional celebration. Today I got a 'B' on my nutrition final, And I'm celebrating with pie and a dollop of whipped irony."

"Nice. And congratulations on the 'B' Jeff - the subject must have been close to your heart." Annie was beaming with pride.

"Like this pie is about to be." Jeff said, sticking his fork in with gusto.

"Excuse me." A teenage boy sitting in the next booth has tapped Jeff on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Hi," said Jeff affably.

"We're in High School, but we're here taking some classes for college credit." The boy indicated himself and two friends sitting at the same table.

"Well, all right. Way to be go-getters!" Jeff was in a good mood and happy to be encouraging.

"Thanks. So we were - we were just wondering. Can you tell us exactly what you did In your life to end up here so that we don't make the same mistake? Because if I end up 35 and celebrating a 'B' In nutrition in community college, I'll kill myself."

"Watch it, kid." Jeff's good mood had evaporated.

"Or what, Schmitty?" The kid was openly sneering at Jeff now.

"He got sent to prison."

Jeff turned to Annie in utter astonishment. She was wearing her best "crazy Annie" grin.

" _What?_ " The teenager only narrowly beat Jeff to it.

"Oh yes," said Annie. "He was seventeen and this other boy was being mean to his high school girlfriend, so he stuck a knife in him and watched him bleed to death." Annie was practically bouncing with excitement. Jeff decided to stay quiet and see where Annie was going with this. The teenagers were looking utterly horrified. One of them - the girl - managed to squeak out -

"So if he did that, why are you here with him?"

"That's easy." Annie was now looking at Jeff with an expression of utter adoration on her face. "When I was in rehab recovering from a nervous breakdown brought on by a drug overdose I read his story in a magazine and thought it was the most romantic thing in the world - so I wrote to him! And he wrote back!" Annie reached over the table and grabbed Jeff's hand. "And we've been hopelessly in love ever since, haven't we, darling?"

Jeff had recovered from his shock and decided to play along when he saw how terrified the obnoxious kids were looking. "That's right, honeybuns. I even think it's thanks to her I made parole" - he'd turned to the kids again - "the board seemed to be very impressed I had been able to form a stable relationship!" He grinned at the teenagers.

"So because neither of us completed our high school diplomas, what with prison and rehab and all" - Annie made it sound like the most normal thing in the world - "here we are getting the credits we need." She leaned over and whispered "Greendale was the only community college in the state that would let us enroll together."

"Lady, that's cra-" one of the kids started to say, before being interrupted by another.

"-so what did the other guy do to your girlfriend?" He said in a horrified tone of voice.

Jeff was staring intently at the first one. "He called her crazy."

"Erm, we gotta go now." Said the first of the kids to talk. "Nice talking to you." The three of them got up and practically ran out of the cafeteria.

Jeff and Annie held it in until the kids had gone, then collapsed in gales of laughter. "I bet they'll be in city college tomorrow." Said Annie, with a triumphant grin on her face.

Jeff was practically wiping tears from his eyes. "Oh Edison, have I told you how awesome you are recently?"

"Thanks, Jeff." Annie's smile changed to one of delight.

"Erm, Jeff?" Said Annie.

"Yes, Edison?"

"Honeybuns?"

"I have been known to walk behind you on occasion, Edison."

"Jeff!"

XXXXXX

(Later that week)

It's not a date, it really isn't. Yes, after studying is over Jeff offers to take Annie into town and treat her to dinner. Neither of them goes home to change into anything fancy however, so it can't be a date. They also don't go anywhere fancy – a pizza house with plastic furniture, perhaps - so it can't be a date. There's no alcohol either – Jeff doesn't like to draw attention to the fact Annie is under 21, so he contents himself with a diet coke or a mineral water – so it can't be a date. If pushed, Jeff will say he is aware of how tight Annie's finances are, and that making sure she has at least one good meal a week that doesn't come out of her budget is the least he can do as a friend. ("I haven't paid you for all the private tuition I've been getting," he'll say when she demands to go Dutch, "as far as I'm concerned I'm well ahead on the deal." At which she will smile shyly and concede the point.)

Afterwards, they will link arms while Jeff walks her back to her tiny apartment in a terrible part of town and hug when he drops her off. But that's just him being concerned to see her home safe, it's got nothing to do with wanting to make the evening last as long as possible. Annie will kiss him on the cheek and thank him for a lovely evening, but that's just her being polite.

It's a man and a woman sitting at a table, eating a pleasant meal and talking about whatever amuses them and smiling at each other's jokes and walking home afterwards. But both Jeff and Annie will tell you it _definitely_ isn't a date. They also mutually agree that because it most certainly isn't a date they won't tell their friends at Greendale about it – it's completely unimportant, but they won't understand that. Jeff will offer to do it again next week, and the week after, but it won't be a date then either. Don't friends do this sort of thing all the time?

XXXXXX

Week 24 -

(Study Room B)

"Ahh, that's a relief!" Jeff sighed as he sank into his usual seat.

"What is, Jeff?" Annie asked him.

"The tannoy's broken down here – up in Study Room F my group is being forced to listen to the dean's mixtapes of 'relaxing' country and wildlife sounds. I swear – one more babbling brook and Pierce will wet himself."

"Ewww, Jeff." Annie wrinkled her nose in disgust. Jeff thought it looked adorable.

"Nature sounds or not," she continued brightly, "We're not going to have any trouble passing our Spanish final - I've transcribed this semester's notes from my digital recorder."

"You record every class?" Jeff sounded surprised – even by Annie's standards this seemed a touch excessive.

"It works, Jeff." Annie had got her formidable face on. "We're going to spend the next three days boning up then pass the exam and move on to Spanish 103."

"That sounds like a good plan, Annie. But much though I'd like to spend three days alone with you in this hole in the ground," Jeff grinned, Annie blushed slightly. "I do have to spend some time with my Study Group – I was thinking morning sessions down here, afternoon sessions up there and one evening in each place."

Annie wrinkled her brow in confusion. "There are three evenings between now and the exam, Jeff."

"Well, there's this girl I've got in the habit of taking to dinner once a week…" Jeff smiled and winked at her.

Annie smiled back. "You did it once, Jeff, that's hardly a habit."

"Hey – everything has to start somewhere!"

Jeff decided the conversation needed to be pulled back on topic. "Anyway, as I was saying, that's a good plan apart from the ending, Edison. I'm not taking Spanish 103."

"What do you mean?" Annie's face fell suddenly.

Jeff shrugged. "Spanish 102 fills my language requirement."

Annie sounded heartbroken. "I guess I just figured we got together studying Spanish so we'd keep taking Spanish together."

Jeff picked up on her tone and decided to change tack slightly.

"Edison." He said. "I've told you I'm on a tight, four-year schedule to replace my Bachelor's. I'm not going to take an extra class."

Annie's face had fallen even further, if possible. "Jeff-"

Jeff overrode her. "What I can do however is give you a copy of my plan. That way you can pick a selection of courses that fit it for next semester and fill out an application form for me to sign. Then you can apply for as many of them as fit _your_ plan and we'll do those together." Annie's face had lit up again.

"I will say," Jeff continued, "that I have one unmovable appointment - May 23, 2013. I have a table for two at Morty's steak house where I will celebrate becoming a lawyer again."

Annie had a puzzled look on her face. "Erm, wasn't it a table for one the last time you told me this story?"

"What sort of jerk I would be not to treat the tutor who got me there?" He winked at her again.

Annie's face lit up with a big smile, until it was replaced with a look of suspicion.

"Hang on – did you just talk me into doing all the paperwork for you for next year's admission?"

Jeff had a shameless smirk on his face. "You see, Edison – its brains like that that are going to see us through this."

Y _ou may think you just got one over on me mister,_ Annie thought to herself, _but do you realise you've just told me you see us being together for at least the next three years?_

XXXXXX

(Final Spanish Class before exam)

Chang is looking nervous.

"Winger, may I have a word with you in private?"

"Er, sure?" Jeff looked puzzled.

"Good." Chang looked around the rest of the class and gestured at them to get out. "Okay, come back in ten minutes - and if anyone asks, I sent you to learn things!"

"So you're here because your college degree was fake, right?" Chang turned back to Jeff.

"I prefer the term 'better than real,' but yes."

Chang nodded. "Two questions. Where did you get it, Could you have prevented being caught, and how?"

Jeff has a distinctly bemused expression on his face. "One question. Where did you learn to count questions, and are you telling me you need a fake degree?"

Chang told Jeff how he had failed to get any qualifications because he was trying to make it big as a key-tar playing rock star only to end up bagging groceries in a supermarket.

_At least I wasted the time I should have been studying on booze and chicks_ , Jeff thought to himself. Somehow, he doubted that Chang had had the sort of music career that brought him much of either.

"So I did what anyone would do." Chang concluded his story. "I faked my way into a job as a Spanish teacher at a community college relying on phrases from Sesame Street."

"Oh, my God!" The implications of this have just hit home on Jeff.

"Save the judgement Winger, all right? If the Dean finds out that I'm not a real teacher, Your grades are invalid and you'll all have to repeat this class!"

"And why the heck do you think he's going to find out?" Jeff hissed.

"The City Board of Education is doing an inspection after finals, Winger! The dean backed off when I accused him of racism when he tried to check my credentials, but they won't!"

_Crap_. Jeff thought to himself. _Why is it always me who has to sort out this sort of mess_? "Okay, listen closely, because I'm only going to say this once and if you get caught you never heard it from me…" He starts whispering.

XXXXXX

(Library, after class)

Annie was diligently transcribing the last recordings she'd made when she reached the recording of the last Spanish class. She was so horrified by what she heard that she played it back, then reached for her phone.

_**Jeff, what have you done? We need to talk right now! It's really important! AExxx** _

XXXXXX

Jeff looked at the message with mild amusement. _I still get a row of little kisses at the end of a message like that? You're cute when you're angry, Edison_.

_**I'm in the cafeteria, babe. Buy you a coffee?**_

Jeff wasn't ashamed to use the fact that mild flirtation will often knock Annie off whatever high horse she's on at the moment and get him out of whatever passing trouble he's in.

_**I'm not your babe!** _

She replied instead. Then about ten seconds later he got another message.

**_Skinny mocha with hazelnut. AExxx_ **

XXXXXX

 It was barely five minutes later when Annie slid into the booth opposite Jeff. He passed over the drink she'd asked for.

"What's going on, Edison?"

Annie had a scarily intense expression on her face. "When Chang chased us out of class this morning Jeff I left my voice recorder behind." Jeff's expression abruptly changed from cool and amused to guarded and expressionless. "Switched on." She added.

_Oh, crap._ Jeff said to himself, but the lawyer in him knew never to volunteer information until he knew what cards the other side held.

"I heard almost everything, Jeff!"

"Almost?" Jeff was still being guarded.

"There was a bit at the end when you were whispering - everything apart from that. What did you tell him?"

"Keep your voice down, Edison!" Jeff hissed. "Nothing he couldn't have found out in a two-minute internet search, I promise. I just said he needed to find a diploma mill with a name that sounded like a real university -"

"Like Colombia?" Annie snapped.

Jeff looked slightly hurt. Annie didn't really care at that moment. "-Send them a cheque and just hope that none of the inspectors are sufficiently familiar with genuine credentials from the real university to spot the difference. That's all I said, honest!" Jeff finished.

"Jeff, we can't let him do this! People come here to learn!"

_At Greendale?_ Fortunately, Jeff kept that one to himself.

"Edison, I agree with you." Jeff felt like he was tightrope walking without a safety net now, but he needed to get her onboard before she went all crazy Annie on him.

"You do?" Her tone was surprised and suspicious.

"Yes, I do. But we have to do it carefully to ensure that only Chang is punished for this."

"What are you talking about, Jeff?" She was still suspicious.

"Think, Annie! You must have heard Chang say it - if he's exposed, all of our grades become invalid! That's you, me, Abed, Troy, Joelle, Marcia, and everybody else in the class - _we_ didn't do anything wrong, _we_ don't deserve to be punished! We worked hard and in good faith - well, you did and I copied you -" Jeff risked a small joke, despite herself Annie couldn't help smiling a little.

"So what do we about Chang then, Jeff? We can't let him continue to fail to teach."

"We let the final exams happen," Jeff felt he was almost in reach of the platform at the other end of the tightrope now, "and let everybody get whatever result they deserve. Then after the semester is over and all the grades have been registered and credits awarded we go to the dean during summer break and tell him what we know. That way he can just refuse to renew Chang's contract without needing to give a reason, but privately tell him he will never get a reference from Greendale for another job without a genuine degree. It's up to Chang then - if he's got any sense he will enroll here and get a degree and try to be a proper teacher. Let him have the same second chance I got, Annie!" Jeff has leaned over the table now and was holding Annie's hands and looking into her eyes with the same look he gave to a jury during a particularly difficult summing up - _the I'm too adorable to represent a guilty client_ look.

Annie visibly melted in front of him. "You're right, Jeff," she smiled. "Greendale is a place for second chances."

_Dammit, but I'm good!_ Jeff thought to himself.

XXXXXX

(The day after Spanish Finals, and the Study Group is gathered around the result board listening to Abed read out the results.)

"Barnes, Troy: 65.

Bennett, Shirley: 83.

Hawthorne, Pierce: 68.

Nadir, Abed: 88." Abed sighed slightly with relief.

Perry, Britta: 77.

Winger, Jeff. I'm sorry, Jeff." Abed looked sad, then smiled. "I'm sorry for the half-hearted mislead! Winger, Jeff: 80!"

The study group cheered. "Not to take anything away from anyone, But didn't the test seem extra easy?" Says Shirley.

"I think Chang has been somewhat distracted," said Jeff sardonically.

"Who wants to get coffee to celebrate?" Britta asked, to general agreement.

"I'll catch up with you guys in a minute, "Jeff said.

Nobody but Abed noticed Annie waiting quietly on the far side of the corridor. Abed looked at Jeff, gave him a nod of understanding and followed the others out.

Annie walked forward, Jeff pretended to be too interested in the results board to notice.

"Edison, Annie: 94." He read out with a smile on his face. "Top of the Class." He turned to face Annie, who was smiling back at him.

"It was only Chang's class." She said with a shrug.

"If it had been a proper teacher teaching proper lessons the scores would have been different but the rankings would have been the same. You _earned_ this, Edison." Annie was smiling again.

"And don't think I don't know who got me from a bare pass to a solid mid-table performance, either."

"Your study group?"

Jeff rolled his eyes. "They can have ten points, the other twenty are yours." He smiled at her again. "What time do you finish around here today?"

"About five, why?"

"I'll see you in the car park about ten past. There's a French bistro in town I've had my eye on that's running a two-for-one offer tonight - I have no intention of eating two meals by myself…"

_Are you ready to call it a date, yet?_ Was the first thought that flashed through Annie's head. She put the slight twinge of irritation aside and put on a smile of her own. "That would be stupid, Jeff - think of your figure. I'll see you then." Annie turned around and headed off down the corridor. Jeff could almost swear she was skipping as he watched her go. When she turned round a corner he turned in the other direction and went to catch up with the rest of the study group.


	18. Silence Seizes a Cluttered Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jeff has to make the most important decision of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to Jeffwik at ff.net for beta reading this chapter and suggesting plot improvements.

Week 25

(It was the last week of the semester, exams were over and Greendale was in party mood. Jeff swaggered onto campus like a rock star, exchanging cheery greetings with professor Whitman, Garrett and even Leonard.)

"Hi, Jeff!" Annie jogged up next to him, smiling broadly. Jeff smiled back and offered her his arm, she took hold of it. "I'll walk with you. I can't believe I made it through my first year of college - I finally get to click send on so many 'I told you so' emails!"

"Yeah, it's pretty great." Jeff was thoroughly amused at such an… Annie-ish concept of revenge. Not only that, but he suddenly realised - exams are out of the way and he's survived, he's walking in the open air on a perfect summer's day, he has a pretty girl who likes him and he likes back on his arm babbling cheerfully about nothing serious and he looks damn good.

"Not much could ruin today." He sighed happily, Annie smiled up at him.

"Hi!" The dean jumped out in front of them.

"Oh, shoot. I forgot saying that summons him." Jeff said, Annie squeezed his arm sympathetically.

"Will you be attending tomorrow's, uh, transfer ceremony to send off all the students leaving for so-called real schools, Jeffrey? There's a formal dance afterward. I suppose _Miss Edison_ could come too." He ended with a snark at Annie. Annie just held even tighter onto Jeff's arm and flashed her best 'I bet you wish you were doing this' smile at the dean. He sniffed, ostentatiously ignored Annie and turned back to Jeff. "I assumed your whole posse would be coming to the dance, having heard the exciting news about Britta..."

XXXXXX

(Library steps)

"This is one time I wish I could be a fly on the wall with your study group, Jeff."

"I'm sorry Edison," Jeff smiled at her. "But look on the bright side - Abed will probably film it for the season finale of 'Community College Chronicles'."

"I suppose - but then I haven't really taken that show seriously since the nerdy brunette with the cardigan fixation and an obsession with the jerkass male model type got promoted to the regular cast instead of just being a recurring guest star." Annie's eyes sparkled with mischievous good humour.

"Hey - it was in response to audience demand, you should be flattered! See you later, Edison." Jeff bent and gave Annie a quick hug.

"And you Jeff," Annie returned the hug. They separated, Jeff bounded up the steps two at a time and swept through the door. He gave Annie a final wave as he disappeared, she waved back and headed off to meet with Joelle and Marcia.

XXXXXX

Jeff walked into the study room with a broad grin on his face.

"Um, everyone has to go to the transfer dance tomorrow." He said.

"I'm going," said Shirley. "My friend Gary's transferring." This news was greeted with derisory glee by the rest of the group, rather to Shirley's dismay.

"More importantly," Jeff resumed speaking, "our very own Britta Perry, it turns out, has been nominated for transfer queen."

"Oh, that's nice!" Shirley was trying to be polite.

"What the hell is a transfer queen?" Britta sounded disgusted.

"It's like a prom queen, apparently." Jeff had taken his seat and was casually resting his feet on the table. "You get a sash, then there's a vote and a crown for the winner. Aren't you excited, Britta? If it helps, Annie was _so_ jealous when she heard you got nominated." Jeff was grinning openly now at his blonde friend's discomfiture.

"No, I'm not! And your little friend knows too? Eeew! How the heck did I get nominated, anyway?"

"Don't let it upset you, Britta." Shirley said. "It's the last day of the semester. Nothing can ruin that."

"Hi!" The dean jumped through the door.

"Amazing!" Said Jeff. "He's like an evil genie."

The dean ignored him. "Just spreading the news. Some folks say "transfer formal" isn't really rolling off the tongue, so we're just going to call it "The Tranny Dance"!"

Jeff rolled his eyes. " _Much_ more Greendale."

XXXXXX

(Cafeteria)

"Hi guys!" Annie said cheerily as she walked up with a coffee in her hand to the booth Marcia and Joelle were sitting at. "how are things?"

"Hi Annie," Marcia had a surprisingly nervous smile on her face.

"Is something up, Mar?" Joelle asked.

Marcia took a deep breath. "My application to Colorado State has been accepted. I'll be transferring out tomorrow."

"Oh - that's great," Annie sounded shocked. Joelle looked bereft.

"Look guys," Marcia was smiling, but she had tears in her eyes. "It's only Fort Collins, that's less than two hours away so it'll be easy for you to visit and my family will still be here so I'll be back lots - you'll hardly notice I'm gone. This is a great opportunity for me - be happy for me, please?"

"Of course we are, Marcia!" Annie moved round the table to give her friend a somewhat tear-stained hug.

Joelle joined in from the other side. "Will miss you Mar, it's been fun."

Marcia gripped her friends even tighter. "I'm not dying, silly! Look, we're all going to Abed's party tonight, aren't we? We can drink stupid amounts of weak beer and say goodbye properly."

"What about the transfer ceremony?" Annie asked.

"Sorry - I can only stay for the formal bit then I've got to leave to catch a bus to Texas, I'm spending the summer with my cousins."

"Aw - then it really will be goodbye then." Annie said sadly, and gave her friend another hug.

XXXXXX

Jeff was strutting, for want of a better word, down a Greendale corridor.

"...Hey Jefe, you killed it!"

"No Jorge, you killed it! Are you going to Abed's kegger?" Jorge roared approval. "Sweet."

Jeff's good mood vanished when he saw a certain brunette leaning elaborately casually on the corridor wall.

"You probably don't want to talk to me." she said.

"Well, it's not Junior High. We're mature adults Michelle, we can talk."

"I think I handled our breakup poorly."

"Before I respond to that, I'll have to take an extra-strength vitamin duh." He turned to face her, mimed taking a pill. "Duh!"

"We started getting serious, and I got scared, and it's possible I made a mistake. Maybe we can talk about it sometime." She walked away, swinging her hips.

"Don't hold your breath on that one, Michelle." Jeff muttered under his breath.

XXXXXX

(That night, Abed's keg party)

Annie arrived before Joelle and Marcia and briefly looked around for somebody she recognised. she smiled warmly at the sight of Troy in a Sheriff's hat dancing to a heavy beat.

"Hi Annie!" He came over and smiled when he saw her.

"Hi Troy!" Annie smiled back. "Er, have you seen Jeff?"

"Behind you." Annie turned and saw Jeff's back disappearing into Abed's bedroom. "Oh, and Annie?"

"Yes, Troy?"

"Good luck, kid." He smiled warmly at her, Annie closed in and gave him a grateful hug. "Thanks, Troy."

Annie turned around and weaved her way slowly through the crowd.

XXXXXX

"Thank you." Jeff had handed Britta a cup of beer, and was still trying to persuade her to go to the dance and run for Tranny Queen.

"You know If you don't go to this dance tomorrow, we are not going to see each other for months."

Britta was having none of it. "It's not a Jane Austen novel. We have cell phones."

"Did you ever think it might be fun Britta, in a post-modern, ironic sort of way?" He flashed her his best I'm-too-cute-to-say-no-to smile.

Britta had seen the smile too many times before to give in to it now. "There's nothing post-modern or ironic about parading female flesh for the delectation of males, Jeff."

"You make it sound almost sordid, Britta…"

Before Britta could reply further, she spotted an all too familiar figure approaching. "Oh Professor Slater, hi." She said with all the warmth and friendliness one might use to announce a skunk with it's tail up. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, end of the year, randomly wandering - hi, Jeff!" Slater said, as though she's just seen him.

Britta looked shocked. "Are you two?"

"No!" They both said simultaneously.

"The two of you aren't?" Slater asked.

"No!" They both reply. "Just friends." Britta added.

"Same here." Slater said. "What about the midget with the infinite supply of pastel cardigans?"

"She's behind you." Britta fake whispered. Annie had just arrived.

Jeff gave Annie a far warmer smile than anything he's given Slater so far.

"My name's Annie, and I believe Abed keeps the aspirin in the cabinet above the sink."

" _What_?" Slater sounded confused.

"Oh, it's just that I heard that name gives you a headache." Annie said with her sweetest fake smile.

Slater threw her a look of cold fury and turned back to the others, only to see them wiping what looked like grins off their faces.

"Will I see you at the dance, Britta?"

Britta struggled with her conscience for a moment, she won. "Kind of obligated, seeing as I'm nominated for queen, so-"

"Oh!" Slater has recovered some of her snark. "I thought you were all into female empowerment."

"What's more empowering than a woman in a crown?" They both fake laughed at each other.

"Well, I'm sure that will be a treat for all of us. See you tomorrow - Britta, Jeff, _Annie._ " She practically spat the last name out.

Annie was genuinely surprised to see the blonde look at her with something close to approval. _I may not like the game you've been playing kid_ , Britta thought to herself, _but anybody who can get under Slater's skin like that can't be all bad._

"Jeff, can I speak to you for a moment?" Annie asked. A brief expression of panic crossed Jeff's face as he glanced at Britta. "Go on Jeff," Britta smiled and waved her cup at him. "Your work here is done."

"Thanks Britta, see you later." He said and turned away. Annie gave Britta something close to a genuine smile, but linked arms with Jeff to be on the safe side as they walked away.

_Oh, Winger_. Britta thought to herself. _I bet you think you're the one in charge of that relationship, don't you? I wonder how long that hasn't been true for?_

"I can't believe you used the headache thing!" Jeff said in an awed tone of voice.

"I know! You should have seen her face!" Replied Annie happily.

Britta watched the exchange with a sad smile on her face. _Has the world closed down to just the two of you yet, Jeff? Do you think you would notice when it did? I bet you thought she was the weaker one, but she's outlasted you hasn't she?_

Britta had no answer to any of her questions of course, instead she turned to Shirley with a broad smile as the other woman approached with a triumphant expression on her face.

"Just did my first keg stand! Ha ha!" Her expression changed suddenly. "Can't feel my legs."

XXXXXX

"So Edison, was there something you needed to say to me, or could you just not bear to be away from me for a moment longer?"

Annie rolled her eyes. "Jeff -"

Perhaps fortunately, before she could say anything else she was interrupted by a new voice.

"Hiya Annie, Jeff!"

"Hi Marcia, Joelle." Jeff said in an indulgent tone of voice. Annie let go of Jeff to greet her friends with a hug.

"Have you heard Marcia's news yet, Jeff?" Joelle asked.

"Er?" Jeff raised a questioning eyebrow while turning to look at Marcia.

"I'm spending the summer in Texas and transferring to Colorado State in the fall." She said. "I'll be leaving as soon as the formal bit of the transfer ceremony is over tomorrow - this is my last night in Greendale."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Marcia." Jeff was slightly surprised to find he was speaking the truth.

"Thanks Jeff. Look, can I have a private word?" She looked over at Annie.

"I promise not to dance with anyone before you get back, Jeff." Annie said with a sly smile.

_Oh, so we're joking about that now, are we?_ Jeff thought wryly to himself, but limited his outward response to a small smile and a "thank you, Edison" as Marcia dragged him away to a reasonably quiet corner.

"Is this the bit where you tell me that, even though you're leaving, you'll still be keeping an eye on Annie and are still willing and able to inflict grievous bodily harm on me if I hurt her?" Jeff said with a smile.

"Yes." Said Marcia, with no hint of humour.

Jeff turned serious himself. "Look Marcia, I don't know what's going to go down with Annie - she has an opinion too after all - but I can promise you that hurting her is not part of the plan."

"I know you want to believe that Jeff, but let's face it - your track record isn't great."

Jeff was stung. "Marcia - this is Annie we're talking about. It doesn't matter what your track record was before you came to her, she lets you start again with a clean slate. I value that too much to risk losing it."

"Jeff - I want to believe you, but -"

"Marcia - if you don't trust me, trust Annie. She's so much stronger than she looks." Jeff pointed to the brunette, who was happily chatting with Joelle and Abed, who had just walked up.

Marcia looked for a long moment and sighed. "Alright then Jeff, I can do that at least."

Then she smiled slyly up at him.

"Just one more question." Jeff nodded his permission and Marcia continued speaking. "How come we never got drunk, spent the whole night banging each other's brains out and then blamed the booze in the morning, vowing never to talk about it again?"

Jeff looked highly amused at the suggestion. "Team Annie?"

"Probably. It's not just you she does it to, after all. Come here, pretty boy." Marcia pulled him in for an asphyxiating hug. "Be good to my girl, okay?" Jeff nodded seriously.

"Now that's out of the way, is there anything to drink here other than cheap beer?" She asked him.

"I stashed a decent bottle of Scotch under Abed's bed yesterday."

"You're a star, Jeff."

XXXXXX

(Day of the Tranny Dance)

Jeff and Annie have just had a coffee in the cafeteria. Jeff was tidying up his stuff and was ready to leave.

"So Edison, will I see you at the dance tonight?" He said with a cheery smile.

Annie suddenly straightened with resolve. _Don't be afraid Annie, you have to do this._

No Jeff." She said. Jeff looked stunned.

"I don't want to 'see you there' Jeff." She continued. "I want to go there with you, as a couple."

" _Whaaa_ -"

"We've been dancing around this for weeks now Jeff - we've had dinners that definitely weren't dates, hugs that were most definitely platonic, we have lunch or a coffee break almost every day and you spend more 'study time' with me than you do with your study group! Seriously Jeff, we're a couple or we're not!"

Jeff was flailing around desperately now. "It's semantics, really, isn't it?" He attempted a laugh. Annie was utterly unamused.

"Did you hear a word of what I just said, Jeff? If we're not a couple, what have we been doing? What would you describe us as?"

"Best friends ever?" Jeff was starting to panic now, and he doesn't react well when he's panicking.

"Oh!" Said Annie, bitterly. "Well, I guess I've had the wrong idea about us. But you know what? This is good. I'd be better off dating an adult - somebody who isn't afraid to use the word! See you around, Jeff."

"Edison - Annie - it's more complicated than that!" He grabbed her arm to prevent her leaving. _The last time I allowed myself to think I could have a proper relationship was Slater, and she almost broke me. You were there remember?_ But somehow Jeff couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

"No it isn't Jeff! Make your mind up and let me know, or we're done!"

Annie pulled herself free, turned around and stormed out. _I am not going to cry._ She said furiously to herself.

Jeff watched her depart until she disappeared from view.

XXXXXX

(Night of the Tranny Dance)

Jeff was feeling stressed out. He wasn't sure why he'd come to the dance - whether to apologise to Annie or to show her he was fine without her - but being there meant dealing with the other women in his life. Slater was still trying to make up to him, but Britta was determined not to let her have a free run, with the result that he was subjected to a truly awesome display of bitchcraft.

"Britta, you look great - such a stunning improvement!" Slater had said with a brilliant smile on her face.

"Thank you - God, you look gorgeous. It must've taken all day!" Britta had replied with equal enthusiasm. Then they had both tried to wipe imaginary smears off his face. Thankfully, Duncan had managed to repulse both of them long enough to allow Jeff to make his escape and join Troy and Abed. They were talking about shark jumping for some reason.

"Hi guys." Annie, Joelle and Marcia had turned up, they were all wearing coats. "Jeff." This said with frigid politeness.

"Annie." Jeff replied just as coldly.

"We're taking Marcia to the bus station," Annie explained.

"You be good, okay?" Jeff said to Marcia, ostentatiously ignoring Annie.

"I will, Jeff. This is something I need to do." She hugged him, and whispered in his ear. "Don't be an ass, Jeff - this girl is the best thing that's ever happened to you and you know it. Don't let her get away because you're too much of a jerk to let her know that." She looked hard into his eyes as she pulled away, Jeff looked right back at her, not flinching. Marcia sighed slightly and moved on.

"Troy, you never did buy me that drink."

Troy had the slight look of panic back on his face. "Erm, let me know the next time you're back in town okay?"

"Of course I will," he got a hug too.

Marcia then hugged Abed, whispering something in his ear. He nodded.

She backed off and waved. "Bye guys, see you around."

"Bye Marcia." Jeff.

"Bye." Troy.

"I will see you again, but not yet." Abed.

As the girls waved and left, Jeff turned to Abed. "Gladiator?"

Abed didn't answer him directly.

"There are only two timelines left for you now, Jeff."He said instead. "There's a bright timeline - the one with her in it where you stand a chance of being happy, and there's a dark timeline - the one where she isn't and you die lost and alone without anybody to lay flowers on your grave."

"What the heck, Abed?"

Abed ignored the protest. "And here's the thing Jeff - you think you're in control. But you're not - not anymore. The dark timeline is the default now and it'll happen if you make the wrong decision or no decision at all. You have to fight for the bright timeline now, you can't just assume it'll fall into your lap. And you don't have much time - if you haven't sorted it out before this night is over you will go on summer break and you will never see her again."

Jeff looked stunned. "This isn't one of your movies, Abed!"

"I know Jeff. Movies have heroes who get the girl in the final act. Movies have happy endings. Real life has this." He gestured briefly around him. "Real life has you."

Jeff looked at Abed as though he was about to punch him. Instead he turned around and stormed off.

XXXXXX

Duncan was trying to hit on Slater and getting nowhere.

"I think I'm probably leaving here with Jeff." She said in response to a particularly crude chat up line.

"Really? I'm sorry, I just assumed that you two were done." She gave him a look that said better than words 'even if we were, you wouldn't stand a chance.' It seemed to sink in.

"You do realise you're fighting the wrong enemy, don't you?"

"What?"

"Britta's never got anywhere with him, and she probably doesn't even want to anymore. She's just doing this because she really doesn't like you. You should be worrying about somebody else."

"Who? You're not talking about the sweater girl, are you?"

"Haven't you noticed, Michelle?" Duncan had a particularly vicious smirk on his face. "She doesn't wear the sweaters and pinned back hair anymore - it's sensible dresses and hair hanging loose. She's looking much more grown up these days, almost as if she's sending a message to somebody."

"You're a pervert, Duncan."

"Sadly, this is true. I'm also extremely drunk." He staggers into a cake stand and then totters away.

XXXXXX

(Greendale Bus Station)

"Bus Number 2341 to Dallas, Texas departing in five minutes." The tannoy announced.

"Well, this is it." Marcia said with a sad smile on her face. Joelle gathered her in for a big hug. Marcia separated again, and looked her in the face. Joelle looked devastated. "Hey you -" Marcia said. "I need you to hold it together for our girl here. No tears, alright? If that oversized streak of hair product and imported fabric doesn't come to his senses you do know it's your responsibility now to make sure he meets a horrible end?"

Joelle actually smiled and nodded. "Don't be a stranger, Mar."

"Never! And you, come here." She pulled Annie in. "Keep an eye on Jo, okay?" She whispered. "She's more fragile than she looks."

"Of course I will. Now you go and have an amazing summer."

"I'm going to Texas, not Paris." She went serious again for a moment. "And Annie - if he doesn't come to his senses he doesn't deserve you. I don't want to hear about you crying over him, okay?"

"It's a deal, Marcia." Annie managed to smile.

Marcia nodded. "Bye for now, guys." She said, finally boarding the bus.

Annie and Joelle waited for the bus to pull out, then waved until they couldn't see it any more. As they walked back to Annie's car, Joelle was checking her phone. There were five messages from Abed.

"I think we need to get back to the dance," she said.

"Joelle, I really don't -"

"For me, Annie. Really want to see Abed now."

"Of course, Jo. I'm sorry." She smiled apologetically at her friend.

XXXXXX

The Tranny Queen nominees were all lined up waiting for the dean to start making his announcement. Britta was looking surprisingly nervous.

"Okay, we finished tallying all 36 votes, so everyone get ready!" The dean desperately tried to whip up some enthusiasm.

Slater however was on the warpath. She marched up to Britta. "Yo, Goldilocks! Drop the smirk. I don't know what you think you're doing here, but you never got anywhere with him and you never will. All you ever had were dreams, I have something real!"

"Really Michelle? Sure, you're smart, driven, have shoulder length dark hair and… everything else." Britta stumbled slightly, then recovered. "But you know who else that describes?" Slater's eyes flared with anger.

"That's right, Michelle - you're just the acceptable substitute for what he _really_ wants. And you know it too, don't you? That's why you have a headache every time he says her name, isn't it?"

"Miiiiiissss Britta Perry!" The dean called out.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Britta grinned. "I have to go - I just won a contest for being hot!" She stormed up on to the stage.

She grabbed the microphone off the dean. "This is a huge honour. This may come as a surprise to you, but I've never actually won anything before -"

"Okay, well, you still haven't." The dean grabbed the microphone back. Britta's face fell. "I'm just listing the nominees, so not a great time to get cocky." He turned back to the crowd and started reading names.

Slater walked over to Jeff and sat down next to him. "Hello again, Jeff."

Jeff looked at her for a moment. _It's not as if my life could get any worse_ , he said to himself.

"Hi Michelle." He said with a half smile.

"Where's your little friend, Jeff?" She said, unconsciously imitating Britta. Jeff smiled further when he noticed this.

"Gone." He said bluntly. "Apparently we're on a break."

Slater looked surprised. "I didn't realise you were together."

"Neither did I, but she seemed to think we were." Slater had no trouble noticing the raw bitterness in his voice.

"You know what you need, Jeff?" Jeff raised an eyebrow.

Slater looked over to Britta to make sure she was watching, then slowly leaned in to Jeff. Jeff turned to face her, his expression carefully neutral, as though he was daring her to kiss him without giving her any excuse whatsoever to say he asked for it.

Out of the corner of her eye, Britta saw movement by the door. It was Annie and Joelle returning.

 _Oh, crap._ Britta said to herself. _One of these days Winger you're going to realise what an amazing friend I am._

She grabbed the microphone back off the dean. "Jeff Winger! Don't let Slater manipulate you! I - I love you!" Britta stood still and waited for the ground to swallow her up. The entire auditorium went quiet. Jeff whipped round to look at Britta. Then he looked up at Slater, and looked down at his hands and saw they were shaking. "Hey man, everybody at this dance is kind of waiting for your reaction to all this." Troy called out.

"I know, I need time to think, okay." He takes a deep breath, gets up and slowly walks towards Britta. "Jeff, I love you!" Slater called as he walked away.

"Oh, I wonder where she got that from!" Britta sneered.

Jeff comes to a halt a couple of feet from Britta. "First of all -"

"Nobody can hear you." The dean said, thrusting a microphone into his hand.

"I'm flattered," he said. "You love me?" Britta seemed to be speechless. Her brain is horrified at her - _Perry!_ It screams. _Of all the things you could have said to distract him, why did you have to pick THAT? You'll never live this down!_

Jeff's brain, which usually worked so quickly, seemed to be stuck in glue. The audience, losing patience, started chanting for him to choose Britta or Slater.

"Look over your left shoulder, Jeff." Britta whispered under the noise as she recovered somewhat from her mortification.

Jeff turned around. He saw one person who wasn't joining in the chanting. Annie had moved forward until she was standing in the centre of a small patch of empty floor. She had her hands held in front of her, and she was looking straight at him. As the chanting continued and he stayed silent though, she turned around and started to walk back to the door.

_ You have to fight for the bright timeline now, you can't just assume it'll fall into your lap. _

"Okay -" He started.

"Who are you going to pick?" Leonard shouted.

Jeff took in a deep breath and stepped out onto the high wire.

"Annie." He got out. "I pick my Annie, if she'll have me." Annie froze on the spot, but didn't turn around. He gave the microphone back to the dean as everybody in the room started shouting at once and then he started walking towards Annie.

" _Finally!_ " He thought he heard Britta say behind him, but he really wasn't listening to anything but his own heartbeat now.

He came to a stop a couple of feet from Annie. She still had her back to him.

"Milady?" Annie turned around. The expression on her face was cool and controlled. Suddenly, Jeff thought he'd never seen her look more beautiful.

"Do you have something to say to me Jeff?" The room had started to go quiet.

_ If you haven't sorted it out before this night is over you will go on summer break and you will never see her again. _

"That question you asked me in the park - I think I know what the answer is now." Annie's eyes opened slightly wider, though her expression didn't otherwise shift.

Jeff took a deep breath and jumped off the high wire. _I can't believe I'm about to do something so corny._

"Annie Edison," he said in his best courtroom voice, projecting to fill the whole room. "Will you do me the very great honour of agreeing to be my girlfriend?"

A huge smile spread across Annie's face. She squealed suddenly and leapt at Jeff. He staggered slightly under the impact, but caught her and took her weight easily. Their lips found each other and it seemed like the kiss drew all the remaining noise out of the room as everybody turned to watch.

XXXXXX

Abed had worked his way around to Joelle, everyone else was still looking at Jeff and Annie, Annie's feet still hadn't touched the ground.

"Endgame." Abed said.

Joelle took his hand and smiled. "Endgame." She agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title for this chapter, like for the story as a whole, is taken from "Hollow Talk" by Choir of Young Believers. If you haven't listened to it yet, you should.
> 
> Also, as Abed said, we're in the endgame now. There are only about four chapters left before I hit the end point I plotted when I first started writing this thing - thanks for your patience, everybody!


	19. Summer Break - Part 1, three dates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Prince Charming sets out to woo his Disney Princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unashamed, unmitigated gloopiness and schmaltz ahead. If you want drama and conflict rather than two idiots being increasingly soppy around each other, it might be a good idea to skip this chapter. You have been warned…

(Day after Tranny Dance, 7:12AM, Jeff Winger's apartment)

Jeff had intended to have a lie in after the drama of the night before. His phone had other ideas as it buzzed loudly to indicate an incoming message.

**_ Good morning, boyfriend:-) AExxxxxx _ **

_I get six kisses now?_ Jeff thought. _It's too early for cute, Edison!_ He rubbed sleep out of his eyes anyway and smiled while he composed his reply. Annie replied almost immediately and it was another ten minutes of texted gloop before Jeff finally signed off with the excuse he needed to shower and have breakfast.

_I lost so many guy points there._ He thought to himself with a wry smile.

XXXXXX

(Gobi Nadir's Felafel shop, lunchtime the same day. Jeff Winger has just walked through the door.)

"Mr Nadir?" He addressed the older man behind the counter. "Can I speak to Abed?"

"He's working. He's not in a position to take social calls."

This was a game Jeff had played many times before as a lawyer.

"Then it's just as well I'm a customer." He smiled winningly. "I'd like to order -" He scanned the menu over the counter, saw a surprisingly wide variety of coffees on display "- Lebanese coffee for two and a selection of baklava, please." Jeff had never eaten at Abed's family restaurant before, but he had once got an Arab oil sheikh off a DUI and solicitation charge and he'd shown his gratitude by treating Jeff to an elaborate banquet prepared by a personal chef.

Gobi Nadir nodded. "He'll bring them out to you."

Ten minutes later, Abed came out with his order and sat opposite him. "Hi Jeff, my father said to serve you and then take my lunch break. What can I do for you?"

Jeff looked around to make sure nobody else was listening. "I never thought I'd ask you this question Abed, and if you tell anybody I'll deny it, but - I need your help with a date."

Abed actually managed to look surprised. "You need my help with a woman, Jeff?"

Jeff shook his head. "Women I can handle Abed - I need your help for a date with Annie."

Abed's expression changed to one of understanding. "I see. You want to know what to expect from somebody who's never had a proper relationship and has drawn everything she knows about romance from teen magazines, Disney channel sitcoms and Twilight novels?"

_Way to make me sound like a creep, Abed._ Jeff said to himself. "That's the idea." He said instead.

Abed looked serious. "I need to be brought up to speed. I think we need a flashback here, Jeff."

XXXXXX

(Night of the Tranny Dance)

"I take it that's a 'yes' then?" Jeff said, as the kiss finally came to an end.

Annie had the happiest smile on her face he'd ever seen. Jeff thought his probably matched it. "Of course it is, silly." She said.

"I so want to -" Jeff suddenly noticed the crowd that was staring at them. "Can we have some privacy, please?" He stared back at them until they started to disperse. He put a hand around Annie's - _my girlfriend's_ \- waist and steered her to an empty table at the back of the hall. Seeing the show was over, the Dean was desperately trying to restore order.

"As I was saying," said Jeff, "I so want to get you out of here and back to my place right now."

"Jeffrey Winger!" Annie said with an expression of stern disapproval on her face. "Do I look like the sort of girl who sleeps with a man five minutes after agreeing to be his girlfriend?"

_But we already_ \- fortunately, Jeff's sense of self-preservation kicked in and prevented him from saying that out loud.

"No." She continued. "You will ask me out on a date - a proper one, at an expensive restaurant - you will collect me from my front door, bring me back again, and if you have been _very_ charming I _may_ allow you a kiss on the cheek when I say goodnight."

"Is that everything?" Jeff was looking slightly stunned. Annie was sitting bolt upright with a triumphant grin on her face.

"Oh, no." She said. "When other guys look at me – and they will look at me, because I'm going to be awesome – you will get slightly jealous and warn them to back off because I'm with you."

"You're going to make me pay in blood for taking so long to make my mind up, aren't you?" Jeff said.

"I'm sure I've no idea what you're talking about, Jeff." If anything, Annie's smile got even more triumphant.

Jeff sat upright, learned forward and looked Annie straight in the eyes. Annie suddenly flushed slightly at the intensity of Jeff's concentration.

"Annie Edison," he said. "Will you have dinner with me on Saturday night?"

Annie was smiling again. "Pick me up at seven, Jeff."

XXXXXX

"It sounds like Annie was fairly clear, Jeff." Abed said.

"She wants dinner at an expensive restaurant and she wants me to get slightly jealous because she's going to be so hot. It's actually not a huge amount to go on, Abed."

Abed nodded. "I think I see your problem, Jeff. Annie had a miserable high school experience which drove her into a breakdown and a spell in rehab, something from which she's only just emerging from. During that time, to distract her from all the pain and loneliness, she constructed the fantasy of the perfect first date. Now you have to live up to that fantasy."

Jeff nodded. "That's what I thought. I can be a guy meeting a girl in the bar when both sides know the rules, but how do I be a Disney princess's idea of Prince Charming?"

"Fortunately," Abed said. "I think I can help you."

XXXXXX

(Saturday evening)

Jeff knew he looked good – damn good. His suit was Italian and midnight black, his shirt was finest Egyptian cotton and so white it almost shone, and his tie was silk and the exact same shade of greyish blue as his eyes. He had spent the afternoon in a beauty parlour having his hair styled and his nails manicured and he had flossed and moisturised. _She had better appreciate the effort,_ he thought. _Tonight I'm her Knight in Shining Armani._ He shifted the bunch of flowers he was carrying to his right arm, and knocked on the door of Annie's apartment. To his surprise, it was opened by Abed.

"So you're the derelict who thinks he's good enough to take our Annie to dinner." Abed said in a gruff, threatening tone. He was wearing an old man's cardigan and slicked back hair. Over his shoulder Joelle was also there, looking equally grim.

_What the heck is going on, are they pretending to be her parents?_ Jeff thought to himself. "Erm, yes sir?" He said while trying to catch up. Now thoroughly confused, he turned to Joelle, who still hadn't said anything. "Erm, Ma'am?" Jeff said, hoping for the best. "Would you like to take care of these?" He flashed his brightest smile and passed her the flowers. Despite herself, Joelle flushed slightly, thanked him and took the flowers. Abed made a disapproving grumbling noise behind him. _Did I just hit on my date's mother?_ \- Jeff had actually done that once, it didn't end well - _I wish somebody would tell me what the rules of this game are!_

"Come in and sit down boy," Abed growled at him as he opened the door fully and pointed at the sofa. Jeff did as he was told. "Now there are some rules -" Abed said, as Joelle put a vase containing the flowers on the coffee table and took a seat next to him. They took it in turns to lay down a set of guidelines that could have come out of a fifties sitcom, and probably had - back by eleven; no touching exposed skin (though handholding was permitted); no taking to establishments of ill repute; and so on. In order to avoid going crazy, Jeff approached the rules as a lawyer and swiftly identified some potentially useful loopholes.

He was still profoundly relieved however when he heard a slightly nervous "Jeff..." come from behind him - Annie had finally made an appearance. Jeff stood up and turned around. The smile on his face froze with shock. _There is a God, and he loves me_ \- was Jeff's first thought as he saw Annie for the first time that evening. Her dress - deep blue, just short of knee length, tight waist and more than a hint of cleavage - managed to be both elegant and deeply sexy, or maybe that was just Jeff's response to it. _It's not the dress it's the girl,_ he thought. Add in the effect of heels, discreet but effective make-up and a new, looser hairstyle and Jeff found himself having a thought he'd had more than once recently - he'd simply never seen Annie look more beautiful.

"You look perfect." Jeff said after an awestruck moment.

Annie smiled broadly. "You're not bad yourself, Jeff. Just let me get a jacket and we'll be on our way."

They bid farewell to Abed and Joelle and headed out the door. As soon as it was closed Jeff finally let out what he'd been holding in since he arrived.

"What on earth was the deal with those two?"

"They turned up a couple of hours ago. Joelle helped me pick an outfit and sort out my hair and makeup and Abed announced that to be a proper date I needed somebody to vet my boyfriend, then he watched 'Meet the Parents'."

Something suddenly clicked inside Jeff. "So that's why he's been doing a Robert de Niro impression all night!" Annie nodded. "I swear, if a polygraph machine comes out I am so outta here!"

"He didn't bring one with him. I think." Annie was smiling mischievously at him.

"You are aware they'll be making out in there while we're on our date, aren't you?"

Annie suddenly grinned hugely. "You said the 'D' word, Jeff! And no, I'm sure they won't be making out - they're pretending to be parents after all and parents never do that."

"Annie, I think somebody needs to have a good, long chat with you about how parents get that way."

Annie shoved him lightly with her shoulder. As it temporarily increased the amount of body contact, Jeff didn't mind.

XXXXXX

Jeff led Annie outside. She gasped slightly as she saw the limo he had hired for the evening. _You'd better be impressed given how much this is costing me_ , Jeff thought to himself. They settled down in the back seat as the driver pulled away and Annie gasped again as Jeff fetched a bottle of champagne from the built in icebox, popped it and poured two glasses. He proposed a toast to the two of them, she blushed slightly and returned it.

After a fifteen minute drive they arrived at _Les Nuits de Paris,_ the classiest French restaurant in the Greendale area. Annie's mouth fell open slightly as she realised where they were.

"What did you get the maitre d' off of to get a table here?" She whispered as Jeff offered her his arm to help her out of the car.

"It wasn't him, it was his wife and it was a shoplifting charge. Not usually my sort of case, but I thought it might come in handy if I ever needed to get a table here at short notice."

Annie was looking awestruck. "Jeff, you shouldn't have!"

"Annie, you did specify an expensive restaurant." Jeff had a wry smile on his face.

Annie was spared the need to reply as the door opened just as they walked up to it. Jeff was a greeted with a delighted smile and a kiss on each cheek from the Frenchman who opened it.

"Monsieur Winger, such a pleasure to see you again! And who is your charming companion?"

"This is my girlfriend-" Annie's face lit up, she still hadn't got used to hearing Jeff say that "-Miss Edison, Gaston. I would regard it as a personal favour if you could ensure she is shamelessly spoiled tonight."

"Of course, Monsieur." He smiled and turned to Annie. "Bonsoir Madamoiselle, welcome to my humble establishment." He bowed and kissed Annie's hand. Only Jeff had ever done that before, and she had blushed then. The Frenchman was so much more expert at it that she blushed again now.

He showed them to a table near the middle of the restaurant, fussed over them for a moment while they were seated, then asked if they wanted aperitifs before ordering. Jeff took one look at Annie, smiled, and ordered two Kir Royals. When Annie questioned his smile, he simply said "It's a purple drink Annie, your favourite colour." She smiled back.

The rest of the evening proceeded in similar vein - when the menus were brought, Jeff told the waiter not to give one to Annie as he would be ordering for both of them. When Annie objected to this, Jeff's response was straightforward -

"I know you, Annie - as soon as you see the prices on the menu you will spend ages searching it for whatever is the cheapest thing on it regardless of whether you like it or not. That is _so_ not the point of this evening that it wouldn't even be funny. So I'll pick something for both of us."

Annie thought for a moment about arguing, but chose to smile instead. When the food arrived, it was exquisite and the conversation was light, fun and flirtatious - even if Annie's eyes were the size of dishplates all evening as she kept looking around. Jeff teased her occasionally about it, but only enough to make her blush prettily - and yes, he did make a point of growling gruffly at a couple of guys who seemed to be eyeing her up slightly too keenly.

As the evening slowly and companionably wound down through desserts, coffees and digestifs Annie felt increasingly like she was dreaming and didn't want to wake up.

"Is this what your life was like back when you were a lawyer?" She asked Jeff suddenly.

Jeff was temporarily surprised at the nature of the question. He thought for a moment. "Yes, and no."

"That's not the most helpful of answers, Jeff."

He acknowledged her point with a rueful nod. "Yes, in that it was not unknown for me to eat in places like this - Gaston was able to ask me to represent his wife for a reason - but no in that when I did eat here it wasn't with a date of my choice. It would usually be with clients and we would be on their expense accounts. Simply being able to relax and enjoy the company instead of having to worry about how I was benefitting the firm was not usually part of the evening back then."

"So you never brought women here then?"

"Do you really want me to talk about other women tonight, Annie?" But Annie was sitting upright and she had her challenging face on - not easy to do with the warm glow she was feeling.

Jeff sighed. "No, you're the first. There was nobody else I liked enough before you to bring here on my own dime." Annie did a happy bounce in her seat and flashed a huge smile.

"Don't expect it be a regular thing, though." This time it was Jeff who smiled.

As Annie had already broached the subject of other women though - and frankly, was relaxed enough to be off her guard - Jeff decided to bring up something he'd been sitting on since the morning. He fished out his cell phone.

"Jeff - you're not seriously going to start playing with that are you?"

Jeff ignored her, instead he called up the first message he'd received that morning and passed it over.

"Yes, what about it?" Annie had a puzzled expression on her face.

Jeff had a fake-serious expression. "How many girlfriends do you think I have, that you would need to sign it to stand out from the crowd?"

Annie tried to be fake-serious back. "Well, you did have three women say they loved you the night of the Tranny Dance..."

Jeff's memory flashed back to that night, he grinned suddenly. "Actually only two women said they loved me, the third was concentrating on trying to suck my wisdom teeth out."

There was suddenly an appalled expression on her face. _It's waaay too early for the L-Word! He'll freak again!_ She thought to herself.

"Annie, did you just say-"

"No! I didn't mean that at all! Forget I said anything!" Annie was panicking now.

Jeff is slightly shocked at how scared Annie looked. _I'm really going to have to work at this trust and commitment thing, aren't I?_

"It's a deal Annie. I went too far, sorry." He reached over the table, took her hand and squeezed it. She visibly relaxed at the contact.

"Anyway-" Jeff looked at his watch "-It's half past ten. We need to start moving if I'm going to get you home by eleven and not have your dad kill me."

Jeff signalled the waiter, and while his bill was being prepared texted the limo driver to come and pick them up. By the time he'd settled up and left a tip it was almost ten minutes later and the limo was outside waiting for them. After a florid round of farewells and see-you-agains from Gaston, Jeff showed Annie back to the car. Once they were inside, she kicked her shoes off - with a sigh of relief - and curled up against him on the back seat. Jeff draped his arm across her shoulders and gently stroked her arm.

"Thanks Jeff, it's been a really nice evening. Everything I wanted a first date to be but never thought I'd ever have."

"Well, you're my Disney princess. The least I could do is try to be Prince Charming for an evening. Don't expect it to become a habit though." Annie turned her head and smiled up at Jeff. Just as Jeff was wondering if she was expecting him to kiss her, she turned her head back down and snuggled into his chest.

Jeff didn't feel conversation was needed, so he let her make herself comfortable and tried to relax himself as the limo took them on their journey. He sighed as they came to a halt outside Dildopolis. _If we're going to be serious about this Annie, we are so going to have a talk about you moving away from here._ He looked down at her as she sat up and put her shoes back on, and caught the expression of perfect happiness on her face. _Just not tonight._

He helped her out of the limo, tipped the driver and asked him to wait fifteen minutes before leaving. Then he took Annie's arm and walked her up the dingy flight of stairs to the front door of her tiny apartment.

Somehow, Annie had gone from being by his side to in his arms, looking up at him with a shy smile on her face.

"I'd invite you in Jeff, but…"

"I know, your folks will go nuts." He smiled back at her. She was still looking up at him. Jeff caught a discreet glance at his watch - 10:57 it said, Jeff knew Abed well enough to know that the door would open at 11:00 exactly. Jeff looked down again at Annie. _I've got three minutes, he said to himself. Forget about a kiss on the cheek._

He took hold of the tip of her chin between his thumb and forefinger and gently tipped her face upwards. Her eyes grew even wider, if possible. Jeff leaned forwards slightly, Annie's lips parted slightly in response as he closed the distance. The kiss started soft and gentle, but grew hungry as Annie responded and wrapped her arms around Jeff's back. He wrapped his around her in return and straightened up, lifting her off her feet with effortless ease. He held her in that position, simply enjoying the kiss, until his arms started to protest and he let her slide gently down to the floor. The kiss came to an end just as they heard the first bolt go. Annie's face was flushed and wild.

"I can tell them to leave -" she said suddenly.

Jeff had the mock serious expression back on his face. "No Annie - you were right. You're not the sort of girl who would sleep with a guy on the first date, and I need to learn to respect you enough to understand that."

Her sigh had a distinct note of disappointment to it, Jeff let go of her just as the door opened. Abed was staring at him with a theatrically stern expression on his face.

"Goodnight, Annie - it was an amazing evening. Good to see you again, sir." He said to Abed. He hugged Annie again, then turned around and headed for the stairs as she went inside.

XXXXXX

"Yes Abed," I can see how a night like that would work. Jeff said as he took another sip of his coffee and a bite of baklava. _I'm going to need to do at least another hundred crunches after this._

"Good, Jeff. Because once you've successfully navigated the first date and impressed her with what a debonair, sophisticated man of the world you are-" Jeff had no idea if Abed was being sarcastic or not "-you need to show the fun side of yourself, show her that you're just as at home in her world, so to speak."

"Abed, this is Annie - fun for her is a trip to the library to see a rare book exhibit!"

"You know what I mean Jeff - you'll will just have done the fantasy serious date, now you will need to do the fantasy fun date."

XXXXXX

Annie had followed the instructions Jeff had texted her for their second date -

**_Dress casual and sensible. I'll be there at six. xxx_ **

She had made a bit of an effort - her shorts and t-shirt were coordinated and a good fit, though she had left off the knee length socks as being a bit too anime. She had tied her hair back in a ponytail, then untied it when she thought it made her look ridiculously young and did it in a bun and put a baseball cap over it instead, she topped the whole thing off with her favorite pink windcheater. She felt she'd succeeded when Jeff had stopped suddenly as he was halfway through her front door and grinned as he slowly scanned her.

"You'll do," he said. He was in jeans and had a t-shirt on underneath a full sleeved shirt which looked as though it'd been sprayed on to his chest and arms.

Jeff led her down to his car and drove her to the big retail park on the outskirts of Greendale. Annie's eyes opened in surprise as she saw where they were parking.

"Laser tag Jeff, seriously?" She said, as he helped her out of the Lexus.

"We have unfinished business from paintball night, Annie."

Annie squeaked in shock.

"Not that! Thanks to Chang, we never resolved who would win when we went head to head."

Annie suddenly grinned hugely. "Oh, I am so going to own your ass tonight, Winger!" She turned around and started skipping towards the entrance to the game centre.

 _We'll see about that, honeybuns._ Jeff thought to himself with a smile as he strode after Annie.

XXXXXX

Annie was leading Jeff by three points with ten minutes to go on their allotted time period when the game arena was invaded by a high school football team and cheerleading squad and they found themselves forced to team up and fight for their lives against a storm of hyperactive teenagers. They solemnly agreed to call it a draw as their time ran out and Jeff offered to take Annie to the movie theatre instead of booking another session.

They got to the theatre, loaded up on nachos, dips, popcorn and cola and then had a discussion about what film to see.

"Romcom?"

"Over my dead body. Action flick?"

"That would be over mine. SciFi?"

"Deal."

Then they looked at what was actually available. "Iron Man 2?" Jeff said uncertainly.

"Well…" Annie didn't sound any more excited than he did. Jeff decided to take the plunge.

"Not another one of those boring ass Marvel movies..."

Annie gasped with relief. "I know! They're so flavourless and unremarkable! They are so not a big deal!" She looked up happily at Jeff.

"Do you know how long I've wanted to be able to say that without worrying about being stoned?"

Jeff threw his arm around her shoulders and gave her a big squeeze. He looked again at the listings. "Shrek Forever After?"

She nodded. "Shrek it is."

The film was a somewhat derivative rehash of the earlier episodes in the series, but they laughed in all the right places. Annie allowed Jeff to put his arm across her shoulders, but when he tried to make out with her she slapped him on the chest and told him he was blocking the screen. Somewhat miffed, Jeff relaxed back into his seat and grabbed a handful of nachos. Second place to a green oaf who makes candles out of his own earwax? You're losing your touch, Winger. But then he looked at the expression on Annie's face and the mood passed. _You are in so much trouble._

They walked out of the cinema arm in arm, talking and laughing about the movie. Jeff drove her back to her apartment and walked her up to the front door. Annie unlocked it, then turned. This time she was the one who kissed him until his blood boiled and he couldn't think.

She broke free suddenly. "I'm not the sort of girl who does it on a second date either," she said with a ridiculously naughty smile as Jeff was still gasping for air. "Speak to you tomorrow, Jeff." She slipped through the door and locked it behind her before he could respond.

XXXXXX

"Thanks Abed, I think I've got an idea how to play that." Jeff said as he took another sip of his coffee.

"That's good Jeff, because then we come to the crucial third date -"

"I know how to play a third date, Abed." Jeff said, draining the last of his coffee.

"I'm sure you do, Jeff. Just remember - this is still Annie."

"Understood." Jeff fished out two ten dollar bills. "Thanks for the advice Abed, it was useful. Keep the change." He got up and made ready to leave.

"Break a leg, Jeff. Don't mess it up."

"I know, Abed. The bright timeline still can't be taken for granted, right?"

"You've got it, Jeff."

XXXXXX

Annie looked at the text message Jeff had sent her for their third date.

_**Dinner my place, 7PM. I'm cooking, your call what to wear. xxx** _

Annie was sufficiently paralysed by indecision in response to this deceptively easygoing message that she'd texted Marcia in Texas for advice. The reply was typically Marcia however -

_** 3rd date, his place? Anything that unfastens easily. Best of luck:-) ** _

So Annie had asked Joelle to pop over to help instead.

"She's got a point, you know." Joelle had said when Annie showed her Marcia's text. "Guys start looking for sex from about the third date onwards. The outfit you choose will be your first opportunity to send a signal as to whether that's what you want too or not."

If anything, this answer stressed Annie out even more - she'd barely even had one successful date with a guy before Jeff, never mind three. "And what if I don't want to rule it out entirely, but I don't want it to be taken for granted either?"

Joelle rolled her eyes. "Lets see what you've got. We might have to get Marcia back on the line for this."

XXXXXX

Annie knocked on the door of Jeff's apartment, somewhat nervously. After a few seconds, the door opened and Jeff was standing there, in the shirt and trousers of his tuxedo, with a white cummerbund emphasising just how narrow and toned his waist was. There was nothing casual or lazy about the smile with which he greeted Annie, nor about the intoxicating and expensive cologne which she smelled on him.

"Erm, I brought salad." Her heart was suddenly in her mouth as she thrust the bowl she was holding at him.

Jeff's eyes seemed to acquire an amused glint as he saw how nervous Annie suddenly was. He took the salad off her and turned back inside the apartment.

"You can come in, you know." He said as she seemed to be rooted to the spot in the doorway. Jeff put the salad down in the kitchen area and came back to take Annie's coat. As he hung it up, he got his first good look at her choice of outfit - a sleeveless purple dress, just short of knee length, showing cleavage but with a frilly neckline obscuring the view somewhat and sensible heels. _Going for pretty, but not take-me-right-now hot._ Was his first thought.

Annie's first thoughts were somewhat different. Right from the moment she had seen how Jeff had dressed to show off _his_ figure in the most flattering way possible to how the apartment was set up - ceiling lights off with candles providing a soft light instead, light jazz playing at a low enough volume not to inhibit conversation, and delicious smells coming out of the kitchen - she had had one thought: _if you don't get out of here RIGHT NOW you are in so much trouble, Annie!_

Something popped. She turned towards the kitchen area, where Jeff had opened a bottle of something fizzy and was pouring it into two glasses. He walked over and offered her one. _Maybe a bit of trouble is what I need right now._

"To us," he said, and clinked their glasses.

Annie said something that was supposed to be a response but came out sounding like she was being strangled.

"What is this?" She tried again. "Champagne?"

"Cava." Jeff replied. We've done French, Italian and Mexican before, tonight we're going to try Spanish."

"That sounds nice," Annie squeaked slightly.

Jeff sat Annie down at the table and put the salad bowl in the middle, then fetched an ice bucket and put the opened bottle of Cava in it. He went back to the kitchen and fetched the pan that was resting on a low heat on the stove and brought it over to the table.

"Seafood paella," he said to Annie's questioning expression. He went back to the kitchen and returned with another bowl.

"Steamed vegetables, feel free to help yourself."

Annie watched cautiously as Jeff scooped out a generous helping of the rice dish, added some vegetables and put some salad in a side bowl, then copied him. She could tell from the amused expression on Jeff's face that he could tell what she was doing.

An outsider - from Mars, for example - who watched the meal might only have seen two people eating, engaging in pleasant conversation and sipping from glasses that were occasionally topped up. A particularly alert outsider might even have noticed the way Annie blushed slightly when Jeff brushed against her as he tidied away the plates and brought the dessert course - fresh fruits and cream - out and followed it with coffee and liqueurs. The less than observant observer probably would not have noticed anything unusual about the conversation - if anything, it was less flirtatious and more mundane than when they had eaten out on their first date - but what not even the most observant observer would have noticed was the way Annie's heart was constantly in her mouth and they way she felt pinned under Jeff's cool regard.

_That's your I'm imagining you naked and I like what I see face, isn't it?_ Her own imagination said to her.

"So, what have you got planned next, Jeff?" Annie said as they sipped their liqueurs at the end of the meal.

He smiled at her. "Well, I thought maybe we could find something on Netflix worth watching…"

_Are you really going to force me to make the first move? You arrogant son of a_ … Even in her own mind Annie hesitated on the insult. _It would so serve you right if I thanked you for dinner and went home now._ But Annie was honest enough with herself to admit there was no realistic possibility of that - the evening had been a non-stop assault on her emotions, she had never felt so intensely desired in her life, nor had she ever felt such desire for another - by comparison, Troy was the merest crush, Vaughn an absurd fantasy, and she barely thought of her high school boyfriend at all. Instead, she gathered all her courage and stood up from the table.

"Actually, I'm feeling a bit tired." She said, and proceeded to sashay over to the bedroom. She didn't look back, but she was convinced she could feel the heat of Jeff's gaze as she put an extra swing into her hips. At the door of the bedroom, she paused for a moment, slipped her shoes off and stepped inside.

Jeff was still at the dining table, all his attention focussed on her. In fairness, Annie had misread him - whereas part of him was indeed amused and gratified that he was able to induce such a state of nervous anticipation in Annie, another part of him was wary and on guard and unwilling to risk making a move she was not ready for. He was therefore more than happy to allow her to take as much control of events as she wanted.

Only when she was fully inside the bedroom did Jeff get up from the table. He went into the bathroom, gargled with mouthwash - he wanted his breath to be fresh when they kissed - refreshed his cologne and went back into the apartment. He fought down every instinct demanding he run to the bedroom and instead went to the kitchen, where he refreshed the ice bucket and took a bottle of champagne out of the fridge and stood it up in the bucket. He then got two clean flutes, and only then did he walk to the bedroom.

He open the door, and took a good, long look. Annie was in bed, resting her head on one hand with a sheet pulled up to her armpits. Her expression suddenly changed from seductive to puzzled.

"What's that Jeff?"

"Champagne."

"You want to have a drink first?" Her expression was heading rapidly towards annoyed.

Jeff grinned at her. "Not immediately. Though I don't know about you, but I'm fully expecting to want to celebrate something shortly."

Annie's smile returned, Jeff closed the bedroom door with his foot as he stepped inside.

XXXXXX

(The next morning.)

Jeff woke first. He cautiously stretched himself in bed, feeling all the aches and twinges of muscles that had been subjected to intense and prolonged exertion the night before. Then he admired the way the sunlight was streaming in through the window, and only then did he turn over to where Annie was still sleeping. She was naked, with her back to him and the bedsheet had slipped down to her waist. He looked at her, drinking in every inch of her, and waited for the usual feeling to come up - the urge to either run or find some way to hustle her out of the apartment - but it didn't come. Instead he felt himself relax as he looked at her and a warm feeling spread through him. _This must be what it feels like to be happy_ , He said to himself with some astonishment. _Why did I never try this before?_

As he continued looking at her - there was a part of him now that felt he could look at Annie forever without getting bored - he noticed something odd about her back. There was a random scattering of faint, white lines, ranging in size from less than an inch long to over four inches in length. About a dozen or so such lines he thought. As he shifted position to get a better look he must have disturbed Annie, because she rolled over and opened her eyes. Sadly for Jeff, she also pulled the bed sheet back up.

"Good morning, boyfriend." She said with a sleepy, happy smile.

"Good morning, girlfriend." _At least there are no witnesses to see you turn into a teenage girl, Winger._

"Annie, can I ask you something?"

"What? Of course you can, Jeff."

"What are all those white lines on your back?"

Annie's face clouded slightly. "I ran through a plate glass window, Jeff."

Jeff suddenly had a horrifying mental image of Annie flat on the ground, shards of broken glass sticking out of her back and blood everywhere.

"Oh damn - I'm sorry, Annie."

"It's all right Jeff," she smiled at him. "It wasn't your fault and the surgeons did a very good job of putting me back together. It's just a reminder of who I am and what I've survived now. I just have to be careful not to wear anything backless or get too deep a suntan, that's all."

_Every time I'm tempted to think of her as just another cute girl something comes along to remind me of just what she's had to survive to get this far, and that she refused to allow it to break her._

Jeff looked straight into her eyes. "I wouldn't wish your life story on anybody, but I wouldn't swap the girl you became because of it for anything either." He could tell by the way her face lit up he'd said the right thing.

"Well, maybe Scarlett Johansson, anyway." He said with a mischievous grin.

"Jeff!" She said, and tried to slap him in the chest. He caught her arm instead, which had the happy effect of causing the bedsheet to fall loose. He rolled over so she was pinned beneath him.

"Do you need breakfast yet?" He asked with a grin.

"I think I'm good for a while yet," she said with an even bigger grin.

XXXXXX

They did eventually get round to breakfast, even if it was closer to lunchtime. Jeff found himself thinking of the only other time Annie had spent the night at his place - the night after halloween - and found himself comparing and contrasting. After he'd had a shower, Annie had one while he prepared breakfast, and once again she ended up in one of his t-shirts and a pair of shorts that were both much too big for her while Jeff had on a muscle shirt and sweat pants. This time however she didn't wait to be offered before grabbing hold of the TV remote, and she also didn't try to impress Jeff with how grown up she was with her taste in viewing - she happily selected the Disney Channel, which was showing an old Hannah Montana episode. _She's more comfortable just being herself around me now_ , Jeff suddenly realised and found himself smiling at the thought. He put two bowls of muesli, two mugs of coffee and a rack of toast and a pot of honey on a tray, put it on the coffee table in front of her and flopped down next to her.

"Thanks Jeff," she said with a smile as she picked up a bowl of muesli.

"The brunette's cute." Jeff said, around a mouthful of his own muesli.

"Jeeeffff…." Annie warned.

"What? She looks like you, of course she's going to be cute."

Annie swatted him lightly, but couldn't keep a smile off her face. "Oh, good save mister."

They settled down to watch the TV while eating breakfast and drinking coffee for an hour or so, then they got dressed properly. Annie's mood seemed to turn down a little after she put on the dress she had worn the night before.

"I need to go home Jeff."

"What?" Jeff looked stunned. Annie looked shocked too as she realised how it must have sounded.

"Oh! Nothing like that!" She blushed. "I just don't have anything clean to wear, I haven't brushed my teeth, I don't have a hairbrush, or makeup -"

"You're beautiful as you are."

She blushed and smiled. "Just for that -" and she closed in for another lingering kiss. "But I really do have to go - look, pick me up tonight and we'll go out for dinner." She leaned in close again and whispered in his ear. "And this time I'll pack an overnight bag."

This time, Jeff smiled at her. "See you later, Annie." He said as he hugged her goodbye.

"And you, Jeff." Annie said as she slipped out the door.

As the door closed, Jeff picked up his cell phone.

**_Abed, thanks for everything. I owe you big time buddy. JW_ **

Two minutes later, his phone buzzed with a reply.

**_Cool. Coolcoolcool. AbedN_ **  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "light jazz playing at a low enough volume not to inhibit conversation" - you may think this is "Daybreak." I couldn't possibly comment...
> 
> "She looks like you, of course she's going to be cute." Alison Brie's first TV role was as a crazy hairdresser on a 2006 episode of Hannah Montana. And yes, she did look cute.


	20. Summer Break Part 2 - Summer days, drifting away…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn more of our couple's origins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite a bit more relationshippy gloopiness ahead, I'm afraid. Hopefully not as much last time, but…

It was the Monday morning after Annie stayed over for the first time that she reminded Jeff of his promise, with the result that Jeff Winger found himself in the very last place he expected to be on Summer Break - Greendale Community College, walking towards the dean's office. The college was surprisingly busy - Jeff had heard about summer school but hadn't expected it to be such a big thing.

"Hi Annie, hi Jeff!" The dean's secretary - sorry, helper with officey things - greeted them with a cheery wave.

"Hi Sabrina," Annie replied with a smile of her own.

"Is he in?" Jeff added. "We need to talk to him, it's somewhat delicate."

"I'll just check." Sabrina pressed an intercom button. "Dean?"

" _What is it Sabrina? I'm very busy._ "

"Jeff Winger's here to see you."

The door to the dean's office flew open.

"Jeffrey!" He said with a huge smile. "And Miss Edison." His smile shrank by several degrees. "Do come in."

Annie skipped in first, flashing the dean a brilliant smile as she went, he ignored her. Jeff followed her in. The dean came in last, took his seat behind the desk and indicated they should sit.

"What can I do for you, Jeffrey?" He was still ignoring Annie.

"It's rather delicate, concerning Chang." Jeff said.

"He isn't qualified to teach and you're potentially defrauding your students by employing him." Annie said bluntly.

The dean did a dismissive little wave. "Well I don't know where you heard that, but we've just had an inspection and Mr Chang produced a copy of his qualifications and the inspectors were happy - so you see, there's no problem."

"May I see it, dean?" Jeff asked.

"Of course _you_ can, Jeffrey," The dean replied with a creepy smirk. He went over to a filing cabinet, rummaged for a moment and pull out Chang's personnel file. He opened it up and passed over the topmost piece of paper.

"As you can see, it's all in order. And from the Harvard School of Education, no less." He directed a patronising smirk at Annie.

It seemed real enough to Jeff, even though he knew how Chang had got it. However -

"Harvard doesn't have a school of education." Annie said.

"What? That's ridiculous!" The dean looked outraged. Jeff had a 'that's my girl' pleased smile on his face as he passed the certificate over to Annie. "It has a website and everything -" the dean said, now frantically typing away at his keyboard.

"Harvard has a _Graduate_ School of Education. I researched everything I could about the university when I was applying for a scholarship."

"And yet you ended up here," the dean snarked nastily.

"Low blow, dean." Jeff growled, taking Annie's hand and squeezing it gently as her face went white. She turned and gave him a small but grateful smile.

The dean ignored the byplay. "Look - here it is." He said, swinging his monitor screen around.

Annie walked up to the screen and looked closely. "May I?" she said, and grabbed the mouse and clicked on a few buttons before finding what she wanted. She pointed at some text in small letters at the very bottom of the screen. "This website is the property of Benjamin Franklin Harvard, of Cedar Tree Drive, George Town, Cayman Islands."

"You've been had, dean." Jeff said.

"Ohmigodjeffrey," the dean was suddenly on the verge of panic. "What do I do now?"

Jeff raised an eyebrow at Annie - _do you want to take this, babe?_ he seemed to be saying. She smiled and shook her head slightly.

"If we found it this easily it's only a matter of time before someone else does." Jeff said, ignoring the point that it was so easy for him because he'd given Chang the idea in the first place. "You need to get in front of this. Tell Chang you spotted this yourself - you were doing routine due diligence, or something - and that it means you cannot renew his contract for next year. As a recognition of his previous good service or something you won't be reporting him for fraud, but he cannot be a teacher again until he gets a genuine degree."

"Is that really necessary, Jeffrey?" The dean was looking afraid now.

"As I said dean - if we could find it out so easily, it's only a matter of time before someone else does. And if it then came out that you knew all along…" He let the silence speak for itself.

"But only the three of us know -" the dean said. "Oh." He finished as he saw the expression on Annie's face.

The dean sighed and pressed his intercom button. "Sabrina - can you draft a letter for me please informing Mr Chang that we will not be renewing his contract for next semester? And when you've done that please inform Vice-Dean Laybourne that I will be taking three weeks' holiday with immediate effect and address all queries and disputes to him in my absence. Thank you."

"Happy now?" The dean somewhat sourly said to his guests.

Jeff gave him a grateful smile, which seemed to cheer the dean a little. "Thank you for your time, dean. You've done the right thing."

Jeff and Annie both stood up, Annie flashed the dean another happy smile as she linked her hand through Jeff's elbow. "See you in September," she said brightly as Jeff also bid goodbye and the two of them started to walk out.

"What shall we do for lunch, Jeff?" She said as they left. He whispered something in her ear, the last thing the dean heard as they left his office was her answering giggle.

XXXXXX

(Jeff Winger's apartment, 7AM a week later)

"You ready to go, Jeff?" Annie was standing at the front door. Jeff had answered it with a coffee in his hand and already fully dressed.

"Remind me again, what am I supposed to bring for this surprise road trip of yours?" Annie hadn't spent the night at Jeff's, but had suggested the previous day that it might be fun to spend the day on the road. She'd had such a plaintive tone of voice that Jeff had agreed.

"You just need to dress casually - aw thanks -" Jeff had handed her a coffee "-in clothes suitable for light physical activity and which you don't mind getting dirty and bring plenty of water and suncream. I've got everything else in my car."

Jeff picked up a backpack and put on a pair of sunglasses. "In that case, I'm ready. You can bring your coffee with you." Annie smiled and skipped out the door, Jeff locked up the apartment and followed her down.

After a quick argument in the car park -

("Do we have to take your crappy car, Annie?"

"If we took yours I'd have to tell you where we were going, then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore."

"But it's so, so -"

"Don't be a jag, Jeff. And besides, you're wearing sunglasses - nobody will recognise you."

"Annie - it takes more than sunglasses to hide this -" he pointed at his face "-I might have to pull my shirt over my head, only then people will recognise my abs."

"Get in, Jeff!")

And grumbling the torment of the unjustly martyred, Jeff got in the passenger seat.

As the car pulled out, Annie turned on the stereo -

"When I met you girl my heart went knock knock

Now them butterflies in my stomach won't stop stop"

"NooOOOoooo!" Jeff wailed in almost physical agony as Annie merrily joined in.

XXXXXX

(I-25, 20 miles south of Greendale)

"Here we are!" Annie said cheerfully. Jeff, having spent almost an hour listening to Justin Bieber, the Jonas Brothers and similar assaults against taste and decency, was a beaten shadow of a man.

"Where the heck are we, Annie?" They'd parked by the side of the road just behind a trailer with a big sign on the back that said "ADOPT A HIGHWAY - SPRUCE UP COLORADO".

"Oh," she said with a big smile. "One of the groups I volunteer with has contracted to clean up trash along a mile long stretch of the interstate."

This is your idea of a fun day out? "Annie," Jeff said through gritted teeth. " I am NOT going to spend a day picking up trash!"

"Aw Jeff," the Doe eyes were on full beam. "If I have to do it all by myself I'll get so tired, and I'll have to go to bed - alone - and sleep as soon as I get home..."

Jeff could feel bleak despair descend over him as he knew he was going to give in eventually. "Annie, this is blackmail!"

He face lit up in a brilliant smile. "See! I knew you'd understand." She linked her arm through his and started leading him to the trailer. "Now come on - we've got to watch the safety video before they let us on the road."

"There's a video, too? Why didn't you tell me that first? That makes all the difference."

Annie rolled her eyes at him. "Try not to be too much of a jerk, Jeff? Please? These may not be your sort of people, but they are kinda my friends. What did you think we'd be doing today anyway?"

"Oh, I don't know - when you mentioned a road trip, light physical activity and clothes I didn't mind getting dirty I thought maybe you meant driving into the mountains, going on a hike through a forest and finding a secluded spot for a picnic and maybe some light making out…"

"That actually does sound nice." She said in a small voice.

"But instead we'll be picking up trash."

"Hi Annie! Who's your friend?" She'd been spared the need to reply by the door of the trailer opening and a man in his late twenties stepping out.

"Hi Bill," she looked up at him and smiled. "This is my boyfriend Jeff, he's joining us for the day."

"Hi Jeff - good to meet you, A friend of Annie's, etcetera etcetera!"

_Who actually says 'etcetera' out loud?_ "And you, Bill." Jeff took the proffered hand, crushed it, and let go.

"You've just got time to get a coffee before we run the video," Bill said, discreetly trying to flex some feeling back into his fingers.

Jeff followed Annie up the steps into the trailer, he paused in the doorway to take off his sunglasses in the sudden gloom and had a quick look round the room - maybe a dozen or so teenagers with six adults, four women and two men, not including Bill.

"Who's the hunk behind Annie?" he distinctly heard one female voice say. He turned in that direction, spotted her and gave her his best thousand watt smile.

"Amber, Jocelyn, I'd like to introduce you to _my boyfriend_ Jeff." Annie had also heard the comment.

_Oh babe, I think I know how I'm going to make you pay for dragging me out here._ Jeff thought to himself as he greeted Annie's friends with a smile and a pleased-to-meet-you-ladies.

And he did. In truth, showing off for an appreciative audience was second nature to Jeff - he probably didn't need to change into the skin tight muscle shirt he'd brought along as a spare, nor spend quite so long rubbing sun cream into his biceps, not to mention easy conversation that stopped just on the proper side of flirtatious and a dozen other small things, but it came naturally enough. By the time they were saying their goodbyes and getting into Annie's car however, steam was practically coming out of her ears.

"Well, that wasn't so bad -" he started saying.

"OKAY JEFF! I get it!" Annie was practically screaming. More shocking to Jeff, she appeared to be on the verge of tears. "The stuff I like to do is _lame_ , and it was stupid of me to want to involve you! You didn't have to humiliate me in front of my friends though - I wanted them to meet my boyfriend, I didn't want them to see what a jerk he can be!"

"I've never had a boyfriend I wanted people to meet before." Now she really was crying.

_Oh crap - way to mess things up, Winger._ "Look Annie, I'm sorry but -"

"I don't want to talk about it Jeff."

"Annie -"

"I _said_ I don't want to talk about it Jeff!"

Jeff gave up. The journey home took place mostly in silence, Annie dropped Jeff off at his apartment and turned her head away when he tried to kiss her goodnight. _You might really have screwed things up this time_ , Jeff thought as he watched Annie's car disappear into the distance. Jeff stuck his hand in his pocket to look for his door key, but instead the first thing he found was a leaflet he'd been handed by Bill at the orientation meeting.

XXXXXX

(Annie Edison's apartment, 7 o'clock next morning.)

Annie had been up for a while - in truth, she hadn't slept much. Part of her was wondering if she'd been too hard on Jeff, but then the other part remembered just how big a jerk he'd been. _Who can that be at this time?_ She thought as she heard somebody hammer at her door.

"Who is it?"

"Mandatory safety inspection!" She heard her landlord shout through the door. On confirming through the spyhole it was him, she opened the door. As soon as it was open, Jeff stepped into view, handed the landlord a twenty and pushed his way into the room.

"Jeff, what the hell -"

"Annie, get your bag - we're going on a road trip."

"I'm not sure I want to go anywhere with you at the moment."

"Annie, this is me trying to say sorry. Can you give me one chance?"

"I'm not sure I can, Jeff."

"Please, Annie?"

Annie hesitated, rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag. Jeff sighed in relief. "Thanks, Annie."

He led her down to the Lexus, opened the door and got in. Wincing slightly with pain, he took out a CD and slid it into the player. Annie saw the cover - "My World" by Justin Bieber - and despite herself smiled slightly.

"You don't have to do this, Jeff."

"Unfortunately, I think I do."

He headed out of town, joined the I-25 and started heading south. It took barely two-thirds the time to do the journey in the Lexus.

"Jeff, what's going on?" Annie said as he pulled up behind the same trailer they'd been to yesterday.

"I spoke to Bill last night. They're here for the entire week, doing a mile a day." Was all he said.

He got out of the car, walked round to her side and helped her out. He walked her up to the trailer and opened the door for her.

"Hi Annie - didn't expect to see you here today." Somebody said. "Hi Jeff," they said as he came through too.

"Hi guys," he said. "Can I say something?" There was a rumble of yesses.

He put his arm around Annie's shoulders. She looked up at him in surprise.

"This is my girlfriend, Annie. She's got the biggest heart of anybody I know, and sometimes I'm too self-centred to realise that if it's big enough to have space for me it's going to be big enough to have space for all sorts of other crazy stuff too, and if she wants to share that stuff with me it's because she wants me to be as much a part of her life as possible and I need to learn to appreciate that. I was wondering if it was okay with you if I could have another go at doing this thing and try to get it right this time?"

"Awww, Jeff!" Annie looked up at him with a happy smile as she hugged him. This time, Jeff did do it right - he knuckled down, stayed by Annie's side, kept the posing to a respectable level (hey, he was still Jeff Winger and he still looked damn good in a muscle shirt and glowing with toil and honest sweat) and kept the flirting strictly for his girlfriend.

On the way home, Annie suggested they get take-away pizzas and spend the night at her place. It went well until in the early hours of the morning Jeff was jolted awake when the tannoy in Dildopolis starting announcing the special offers.

"What the heck -" He cried out.

"I'm sorry, Jeff."

"Annie - you can't stay in this place, you just can't."

"Jeff - we've had this conversation before. Just because you're my boyfriend now doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do."

Jeff sighed. "It's not about telling you what to do, it's about being worried about you and wanting you to be safe."

"I know Jeff, but this is the best I can afford."

_We'll have to see about that._ He thought to himself as he put an arm around her and pulled her into his side.

XXXXXX

Jeff had a routine for the increasingly rare mornings when Annie had not slept over. He'd get up early, run – not jog – the three miles to his gym, work out on weights for an hour and then run back home where he would shower and have breakfast. This particular day in early July he was interrupted while making breakfast by a banging on the door.

When he opened it he saw Annie in a flood of tears on the other side clutching something in her hands. She surged forward, threw her arms around him and sobbed into his chest.

_What have I done now?_ Was Jeff's first, rather unworthy, thought. On searching his recent memory and coming up blank – rather to his relief – he ushered her in, sat her at the breakfast bar and put a mug of coffee in front of her. "What's the matter, babe?"

Annie took a deep breath and began, rather shakily, to talk.

"I tried to get back in touch with my mother," she said. "I wrote to her to let her know I'd completed my first year at college and come top of all my classes and that I was in a relationship with a good man –"

"Who is he? I'll kill him!" Jeff said in mock outrage. Despite her tears, Annie smiled at the joke.

"-and that she had no reason to be ashamed of me any more." She continued.

Jeff leaned over the table, took her hands in his and spoke with deadly seriousness this time. "Annie, you're an amazing girl – she _never_ had a reason to be ashamed of you."

"Thanks Jeff," she smiled shakily at him. "But I didn't hear anything back from her until today when I got this in the post."

She passed over the letter she'd been clinging onto since she'd arrived. Jeff took it, scanned it through quickly then read it in detail as though he couldn't believe what he was reading.

"…bitch." He finally said.

"Is it as bad as it looks?"

"Worse, if anything." Jeff said. "This is a Cease and Desist Order, forbidding you to attempt to contact your mother again and putting you at risk of contempt of court if you try. Any future communications you wish to make have to go through –" he looked at the top of the headed letter "- Sue, Grabbit & Runne and they're under no obligation to pass them on."

"I only ever wanted to make her proud of me." Annie sounded utterly desolate.

"I'm proud of you."

Annie looked up sharply.

"I know it's not the same thing, but every time I tell somebody you're my girlfriend it's the best feeling in the world - I'm proud that I get to say that. There are a bunch of people around here – Joelle, Abed, Marcia – who are proud to say you're their friend. If there's somebody around who knows you and isn't proud of that fact that's their problem not yours, Annie. You really are an amazing girl."

Annie had started to smile again. "And there goes another Winger Speech, making everything look a little better."

"Hey," Jeff grinned. "I'm just glad for once it's not one of my screw-ups I'm attempting to clean up after."

"Look," he continued. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

Annie shook her head. "I checked the mail as soon as I woke up and came straight over here."

_Your first thought when you were hurting was to come to me._ Jeff felt oddly humbled by that idea.

"Then sit down. I'll fix you something and after that we can go for a walk."

"Where to?"

"Nowhere in particular, I was really only thinking of showing off my awesome girlfriend." He winked at her.

She smiled back. "Thanks Jeff, you're kind of cool sometimes too."

"… _Sometimes?_ "

XXXXXX

Later that day, Jeff had asked Annie to name her choice of a night out to take her mind off things and she had named a performance of "Lysistrata" being put on by a local feminist theatre collective. Jeff had never heard of "Lysistrata", but the phrase 'feminist theatre collective' sent chills down his spine - the mischievous smile on Annie's face was enough to subdue all but the most token of protests on his part however. He privately vowed to look his absolute best though - he was just glad that Britta was apparently off at some protest somewhere or he'd worry about running into her in the audience.

After Annie left to get changed, Jeff found himself mulling over the events of the day which led to thoughts of his relationship with his own mother crossing his mind. _Annie is upset because she's tried everything to salvage a relationship with a mother who has never been anything other than vile to her, whereas I go out of my way to avoid a mother who has never shown me anything other than kindness._ One of the things that Jeff found - uncomfortable, for want of a better word - about having Annie in his life was the way that simply by being there she forced him to examine the sort of man he was and measure that against the sort of man he increasingly wanted to be. A year ago, the idea of there being any difference between the two would have struck him as absurd - now however? Jeff realised he was heading into dangerous territory so he cut the introspection short by picking up his phone.

"Hi mom," he said when the call was picked up at the other end. "Are you doing anything this weekend? It's been too long since I came over."

XXXXXX

(Saturday afternoon, Doreen Fitzgerald's house)

"Remember, don't call her Mrs Winger," Jeff said. "She dropped her married name after the divorce, though she left me with it because she didn't want me picked on in school or something."

This must have been about the tenth time he said this on the journey over - Annie realised it was a sign of how nervous he was - but instead of saying anything she just squeezed his hand and smiled at him. "I'll remember, Jeff."

"Hi mom," Jeff said as the door opened. "My law licence has been suspended until I re-sit my Bachelor's and I'm now a student at Greendale Community College. But enough about me - I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Annie!" Jeff essentially grabbed Annie and shoved her in front of him as a human shield.

"Pleased to meet you Ms. Fitzgerald," Annie said, holding out her hand and smiling.

"And you, dear. Do call me Doreen," the older lady said with a stunned expression on her face as she attempted to process all the information Jeff had just hit her with while simultaneously shaking Annie's hand.

"Do come in, dears." The older lady said, holding the door open. "Can I get you something to drink? Coffee?" She ushered them through the house. "I thought it was such a nice day we'd start off by sitting out in the backyard." She said as they reached the back of the house.

"Do take a seat, dear." She said to Annie, pointing out the garden furniture. "Jeffrey, can you help me get something down off the top shelf please?" Annie gave him a cheerful little wave as his mother basically dragged him back indoors and turned to look at the yard.

"Jeffrey, what on earth is going on?" Doreen said as the door closed behind them.

"Well," Jeff said. "I've been seeing Annie for a few weeks now and things have been going really well –"

"That's not what I meant and you know it. What's all this about your licence being suspended?"

Jeff sighed. "I did a really stupid thing, mom." He gave an abbreviated version of the whole story, other than put the kettle on and dig out some coffee cups Doreen focussed her entire attention on him without saying a word.

"Is this why you've hardly been round this last year, you've been trying to keep this a secret?"

Jeff nodded. "I thought if I could just keep it quiet until I graduated then you'd never need to know and you wouldn't be ashamed of me."

"Jeffrey, I've known you all your life – I can live with you lying to other people but I never thought you'd lie to me, not about something this important. If I were to be ashamed of you it would be because of that not because of what you did." Her tone was now heavy with disapproval.

"I'm sorry mom."

She sighed. "Can you get the coffee pot down off the top shelf? _I_ have no desire to be a liar today." Jeff winced, but fetched the pot. Doreen put some ground coffee in the pot and poured freshly boiled water on top of it.

"And where does that poor child fit in in all of this?" She'd moved over to the kitchen window where she could see Annie sitting outside, looking entranced at the antics of a squirrel attempting to raid the bird feeder at the end of the garden.

"She isn't a child, mom." Jeff was starting to get a little angry now – the part of him that hated to see Annie criticised or belittled was kicking in, even against his own mother.

"She doesn't look a day over eighteen, Jeffrey." Doreen had picked up her son's tone and turned to face him.

"She's nineteen, and I'm well aware of the age difference."

"Well, then-"

"We'd been friends for over six months before we started dating." Jeff interrupted. "And it feels like I spent most of that time coming up with reasons why this was a bad idea. And I came up with a lot of reasons!"

"Then what happened?" Doreen looked like she was fussing about putting the coffee pot and mugs on a tray, but that was on autopilot while the whole of her attention was focussed on Jeff.

"I ran out of reasons." He said. "And I reached a point where the only thing left that I could think about was that I couldn't imagine what my life would be like if she wasn't a part of it any more, so here we are."

Doreen had gone to the fridge to pick out some homemade cake. "Lemon drizzle, your favorite," she said.

"Just how much do you really like this girl?"

Jeff sighed again. "Every day when I wake up I'm terrified this will be the day she comes to her senses, that she'll realise she's in a relationship with somebody who's too old for her, has messed up his life and is stuck in community college in his thirties trying to get it back on track. I'm terrified that this'll be the day she finds somebody her own age, who hasn't messed up his life and who stands a chance of being worthy of her. And every night when I go to bed I give thanks none of that happened that day and I'll get to go through it all again the next day."

"There's a word for what you just described, you know." She said quietly.

Jeff shook his head decisively. "No, mom. I'm not touching that one with a ten foot pole."

"You may have to, if you don't want to lose her." She sighed and picked up the tray. "Hold the door open for me please. It looks like I need to have a long chat with this girl who seems to have convinced my son there's a woman in this world who's too good for him."

XXXXXX

They sat down at the table in the yard and talked for over an hour over coffee and cake. Doreen asked Annie a series of questions, deftly drawing her life story out of her, up until the point she met Jeff. Although nothing showed on her face, she noted the calm dignity and lack of self-pity with which the younger woman described what must have been a horrendous ordeal. As well as listening though she also noted with care the way the two of them interacted with each other – the way Jeff looked at Annie when she was speaking, and the way she looked at him when he was. Eventually –

"Jeffrey, can I ask you to light up the barbecue? It's perfect weather for it and I haven't had a chance to use it since last summer."

"Of course, mom."

"And Annie dear, can I ask you to help me to fetch some things from the kitchen?"

"I'd be delighted Doreen." Annie flashed Jeff a wry smile that seemed to say _my turn now_ as she got up from her seat. Jeff smiled back and wandered off to the garage to see if he could find the coals and lighter fluid. Annie followed Doreen into the house.

"So, do you love my son?" Annie was surprised by the bluntness of the question, she hesitated slightly over the answer.

"This is just between us, isn't it?"

"If you wish, dear."

"Please. And yes, I do." She said slightly sadly.

"Why? " Again, the bluntness of the question took Annie by surprise.

"It's difficult to say. He's an infuriating jackass – sorry –" she remembered she was talking to the jackass's mother.

Doreen smiled. "It's quite alright dear, I've known him longer than anyone after all."

Annie smiled back. "Okay – he's a lazy, infuriating jackass who is far too pleased with himself and obsessed with his appearance and who too often has a knack for being incredibly selfish and hurtful." She paused for breath.

"I hope there's a 'but' heading our way soon," Doreen said sardonically.

Annie smiled. "But. I told you what high school was like for me – imagine what it felt like to be that girl and then one day Jeff Winger walks into your life, offers you his hand and treats you with kindness and respect and silences a baying mob in doing so." She smiled at the memory. "He had no reason to do that, it just offended him to see someone like me being picked on."

"You're a very beautiful young woman Annie, for a man like my son that would be reason enough."

Annie shook her head. "I wasn't back then, and he certainly didn't look at me that way. I was just the nerdy girl who sat in the front row of Spanish class and who could be charmed into doing his homework for him." She smiled again at the memory.

_That sounds more like my son,_ Doreen thought to herself.

"And when he is being a jerk he knows it and will apologise and put it right afterwards, and he really is trying hard to be less of one." Annie continued. "Nothing upsets him more than hurting me, and nothing makes him angrier than other people trying to hurt me. It's _nice_ to be at the centre of somebody's universe like that." Annie smiled a deeply happy smile.

"So have you told him yet then, dear?"

Annie's smile went away. "No!" She said. "I had to work so hard not to freak him out by coming over as some schoolgirl with a crush – saying anything like that would cause him to flee in a blind panic. It was hard enough to get him to admit to himself he had feelings – actually talking about them is quite out of the question! When the time is right though we will have that talk." She said with calm certainty.

"He thinks you're too good for him, you know." Doreen said. "I'm starting to think he may be right." She added with a smile.

"Well he isn't right." Annie said. "But so long as he thinks that way he'll never take me for granted." She smiled again, one that Jeff would have recognised as showing there was mischief on the way.

"Are you happy dear? Really, truly happy?"

Annie thought for a moment, nodded and smiled again. "Yes Doreen, for the first time in my life I really think I am."

XXXXXX

Doreen and Annie left the kitchen with arms full of packets of meat, bread rolls and salad ingredients. Outside, they saw Jeff standing next to the barbecue, occasionally prodding the coals and chatting amiably to Doreen's next door neighbours, Pete and Barbara, over the garden fence - Doreen said there was plenty of food, and they absolutely must come over to join the party. Ten minutes later they were in the back yard with their three kids, having brought over a six pack of beer, a bottle of sparkling wine and a big bag of potato chips. Barbara went over to help Annie and Doreen prepare the salad and lay the table and Pete took a beer over to Jeff.

"Cheers, Jeff." Pete said, clinking bottles.

"Cheers, Pete." Jeff said back with a smile.

"So, is that really your girlfriend?" Pete said, looking back at the table where the women were chatting and preparing salad.

Jeff felt his guard go up. Pete didn't notice. "She seems nice," he said. "I never had you down as the settling down type."

Jeff relaxed again. "Neither did I," he said with a wry grin. "But I think Annie has different ideas."

"Just so long as you remember the two golden rules of relationships you'll be okay, Jeff." Pete said with a fond expression on his face as he looked at Barbara.

"And they are?..."

"The first one is - she is always right."

"And the second one?" Jeff said with a curious expression on his face.

"When she's wrong, check rule number one."

"Amen, brother." Jeff said and clinked his bottle against Pete's again.

XXXXXX

It wasn't long after that before the food was ready, and not long after _that_ before Doreen's neighbours on the other side popped over, making a total of seven adults and five children - at one point there were so many people there that there weren't enough chairs for everybody, so Annie simply dropped into Jeff's lap and proceeded to feed him slices of red pepper dipped in barbecue sauce when he attempted to protest, then she wriggled herself into a more comfortable position and he didn't feel like protesting any more. At the far side of the table Doreen Fitzgerald watched this scene with a feeling of quiet contentment - she had honestly never expected to see her son look so happy with another person. _This is your last chance, Jeffrey - don't ruin it._ She found herself thinking.

XXXXXX

Night crept on, and guests made their way home again with cheerful hugs and good wishes. After the mess was cleared up, a potentially delicate issue arose.

"I didn't know you were bringing anyone Jeffrey, so only the bed in your old room has been made up. Annie can have that - I'll get you a pillow and blanket and you can sleep on the sofa."

Jeff was about to protest, but he stopped when he saw the expression on his mother's face.

"Yes, mom." He said instead. He didn't know what his own face looked like, but it appeared to hugely amuse Annie.

"One night sleeping apart won't kill us, Jeff." She said as Doreen walked away.

"Perhaps Annie, and perhaps not - do you really want to risk it?" Jeff said dramatically.

Annie rolled her eyes and smiled, then closed in for a hug.

"Goodnight, Jeff."

"Goodnight, Annie."

XXXXXX

Jeff was up first the following morning – the sofa really was not conducive to lying in – and he'd already showered, dressed and made coffee before Doreen came down. She thanked him for the coffee and proceeded to bustle about making breakfast, which was on the table by the time Annie made an appearance. She gave Jeff a happy smile – which got wider when he put a mug of coffee in her hand – and sat down. Breakfast was an unhurried affair, and after it was done Jeff and Annie re-packed their overnight bags and loaded them in the Lexus, ready to say their goodbyes and hit the road again.

"For your journey," Doreen said, handing over a bag of sandwiches and a thermos of coffee.

"Thanks mom," Jeff said and put them in the car.

"Oh, come here and give your mother a hug," she said with a smile.

"It's been fun mom, I'll see you soon." Jeff said as he complied with her request.

"This one's a keeper Jeffrey – if you let her go I'll disinherit you on grounds of terminal idiocy. Now get on your way!" Jeff smiled ruefully, but he couldn't help looking at Annie as he did.

"And you –" Doreen said, grabbing Annie for another hug, "I don't know what you see in him, but I hope you stay around – you're good for him. Now make sure he doesn't wait so long before coming back next time."

"It's a deal Doreen," Annie said, hugging her back.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Jeff said with mock outrage.

"No." The two women said simultaneously, then chuckled as they realised what had happened.

"Oh great – my mom and my girlfriend are ganging up on me!" Jeff wanted to sound dismayed, but couldn't quite keep the happiness out of his voice.

"Bye Mom," he gave her one last hug and got in the car.

"Bye Doreen," Annie got in the car too.

"Bye dears," Doreen said, and waved as the car disappeared down the road.

XXXXXX

(Outside Jeff Winger's apartment block, that evening)

"I really do have to go back to my place, Jeff." Annie said with a plaintive smile. They were standing next to her car in his parking lot, what had supposed to be a goodbye hug had just turned into five minutes of increasingly enthusiastic kissing.

"But it'll have been three nights before we next -" Jeff sounded despairing.

"I'll be back in the morning - early," Annie said. "And we won't have to go anywhere all day…"

"Well so long as –" Jeff suddenly thought of something. "Annie – wait here until I get back, I'll only be gone a few minutes." Then he ran off before she could say anything.

Fortunately he was as good as his word and was back barely five minutes later.

"What's the deal, Jeff?" She said when he got back.

"It's something I've been thinking of since last week when you came over after you got your mother's letter," He said. "If you'd been twenty minutes earlier I wouldn't have been back from my workout and you'd have been stuck on the doorstep not knowing what to do."

He took her hand and pressed something in it. "This is a key to my apartment. If you ever come around and I'm not in, just let yourself in and make yourself at home. In fact, do that whenever you want – any time of day or night, whether I'm at home or not. If you need to come round for any reason or none at all, just do it. You don't need an invitation anymore."

"Aw Jeff," she said with a teary smile, and closed in for an even bigger hug.

"Best boyfriend ever?" He said with a grin.

"You'll do." She smiled back at him.


	21. History 201 - The Western Desert Campaign

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our hero brings our heroine home at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." - Sir Winston Churchill

(Jeff Winger's apartment, a couple of weeks after seeing his mother)

Jeff wasn't sure what it was about that evening that prompted him to take the plunge. Annie had come over in the afternoon, had spread a bundle of forms, leaflets and prospectuses over the dining table and solemnly told Jeff they needed to get on with planning their next semester's courses.

As promised, he'd dug out a copy of his four year plan and passed it over – she tsk'ed at it, suggested a couple of improvements, then dived into the paperwork she'd brought. Occasionally she'd stop to shout a suggestion at him, he'd agree or disagree and keep her supplied with coffee. After a couple of hours of this, she announced the forms were ready and just needed signing and posting with a deposit cheque. He cooked dinner – nothing elaborate, just pasta with homemade sauce, some diced salami and olives washed down with a chilled white wine – and she loaded up the dishwasher. It was just stupid, routine, domestic stuff, bumbling around getting in each other's way, smiling idiotically at odd moments and it all just felt _right_ , and _normal_ and the way life should be.

Afterwards, Jeff flopped down on the sofa and Annie curled up next to him, making herself comfortable in the crook of his arm. Jeff called up his Netflix account and, on a whim, called up M*A*S*H, which he'd started watching on Abed's recommendation after taking the job as editor of the school paper.

"This is the show you and Abed got your nicknames from for the paper, isn't it?" Annie said after a few minutes. Jeff uh-hmmed an affirmative response.

"How come I never got one? I was as much involved as you guys." She sounded slightly hurt.

Jeff looked down and smiled at her. "You did."

"I think I'd have noticed, Jeff."

"Annie 'hotlips' Edison, Abed called you." She squawked slightly. Jeff smiled again in response. "Given that I was seeing Slater at the time it wasn't a nickname I was prepared to go anywhere near, even if –" he tilted her head up and gave her a soft, lingering kiss "-I've since learned just how accurate it is."

She swatted him lightly on the chest, but smiled back.

It was then that he said it.

"Let's get a place together." Annie's eyes suddenly widened as she sat up and looked straight at him.

"Look, I know why having your own place is important to you and why just moving in with me would be a step back but –"

"Yes."

Jeff was concentrating on his prepared speech and couldn't hear anything except his own heartbeat. "-if we picked somewhere together, it would be as much your place as mine and I think that would be a step forward –"

"Yes."

"-not a step back. I've done some research, and we could get a two bedroom apartment in a nice part of town and it would still cost less than we are spending on two one bed apartments. And –"

Annie silenced him by the simple expedient of kissing him.

"I said yes, you idiot." She said after she separated from him again. "I would love for us to get our own place together." And she smiled a big, goofy smile and snuggled up into him again.

XXXXXX

By the end of the week, Jeff was starting to regret his romantic impulse as Annie had approached apartment hunting with exactly the same obsessive care for detail she gave to really important matters, such as picking a new bag. She'd spent half a day drawing up a list of features she wanted an apartment to have then another half a day checking websites of rental agencies and making appointments to view. Then they'd spent the next three days viewing at least five apartments a day with each visit following a pattern – Annie would go around each apartment with a fine toothed comb, checking it against her list while Jeff made small talk with the realtor, who assured him there was nothing in the slightest bit unusual about Annie's behaviour and that he'd seen it dozens of times before. Jeff then watched the realtor flinch slightly as Annie opened the fusebox and counted the number of fuses and observed to himself that real estate brokers were almost as good at embroidering the truth as lawyers.

On the Friday, Annie sat down at Jeff's table again with fifteen checklists, and methodically whittled them down - Jeff had long since given up attempting to express an opinion - until she had a shortlist of three.

"It's one of these," she triumphantly announced. Then she picked up a phone to arrange repeat visits and drew up another checklist of what she called tie-breakers, then they spent Saturday morning revisiting the apartments. Much to Jeff's relief, the third one produced a happy sigh, a "this is the one" and a hug from Annie. When Jeff expressed some mild concern that it was near the top of their agreed budget range, Annie simply turned on the doe eyes, added a saucy twist to them and said -

"The building has a pool Jeff, and I _love_ to swim." Jeff's mind was suddenly overwhelmed by the mental image of Annie in a bikini and resistance collapsed.

XXXXXX

(1st day of Fall Semester, Sophomore year)

To say Britta Perry was not happy would be putting it mildly. Her summer break had been fun – she had spent much of it chained to a tree in the Pacific Northwest trying to prevent loggers from felling some old-growth forest, smoking pot and setting the world to rights with a bunch of like-minded activists – but now she was back at Greendale, and the sniggers, sneers and occasional ironic cries of "your majesty" were making it painfully clear that the night of the Tranny Dance had not been forgotten.

For if there was one thing that could have been more humiliating than getting nominated for Tranny Queen and watching Jeff Winger suck the face off his little friend only thirty seconds after Britta had declared her love for him – not that she had meant it oh no, she was just doing the pointy faced jag a favour, the little bitch would have walked straight out if she'd seen him kissing Slater – it was being told she'd _won_ the damn thing as soon as the dean managed to restore order!

She'd worked out how it happened – you didn't have to be Michelle Slater (may her perfect legs develop varicose veins and an allergy to trousers) to work out that with nine nominees and only thirty six votes cast the votes of the five other members of her study group plus whoever had nominated her would probably have been enough to put her over the top. No, as she strode across Greendale campus heading for Study Room F and fended off what felt like the hundredth catcall and the thousandth snigger, Britta Perry had just about reached a point where she almost wished she believed in God just so she could imagine Michelle Slater, Jeff Winger and Annie _freaking_ Edison roasting in a pit of fire for all eternity.

It was therefore with something approaching relief that she finally made it to Study Room F and flopped herself down in her usual seat to see Pierce, Shirley, Troy and Abed were there but Jeff wasn't.

"So, how was your summer, Brit-ta?" Shirley said cautiously. She'd picked up on Britta's mood. Britta at least was happy to talk about that, but such was her luck she never got to.

"Hi guys." Jeff sounded nervous, if anything.

" Hello Jeffrey." Shirley.

"Jeff." Pierce.

"Hi Jeff, hi Annie." Abed and Troy, almost simultaneously. Britta whipped around, to see Jeff and his little friend standing in the doorway, holding hands. He looked nervous, she looked terrified though defiant. _What now?_ Britta thought to herself. _As if this day could get any worse._

"I'm sorry for the lack of warning," Jeff said. "But I'd like to talk about adding Annie to the group."

_It just got worse._

XXXXXX

Jeff and Annie had only finished moving into their new apartment a week before Fall semester started, the rest of the summer had been spent sorting out leasing agreements - getting out of old ones as well as getting new ones in place - consolidating two sets of furniture down to one (which caused several, occasionally furious, arguments) and whose furniture would go in the master bedroom and whose in the spare.

But they got everything in order eventually, and on the day they were due to go back to Greendale Jeff once again woke first and spent a few moments admiring the way the morning sunlight fell across Annie's body. After a few minutes, Annie rolled over and smiled.

"Good morning, boyfriend."

"Good morning, girlfriend." Jeff no longer felt cheesy or embarrassed to start a day like that - the way Annie's face would still light up when he said it made it seem like the most rational thing in the world to do.

They got up, took it in turns to shower, and while Jeff prepared breakfast Annie made sure they had the right coursebooks and schedules. Then one final check they had everything and that Jeff understood his schedule ("don't forget we're meeting Abed and Joelle for coffee in the free period before lunch, okay?") and they left the apartment and went down to the car park.

"Seriously, Annie?" Jeff said as she headed over to her beat up old Accord.

"Sorry, force of habit." She had an embarrassed smile on her face as she walked over to the Lexus.

They didn't talk much for the fifteen minute journey to school - they were both feeling surprisingly nervous. They parked the car, got out and started walking. After a fractional hesitation, Jeff reached out and took Annie's hand. She looked up at him and smiled, "once more unto the breach, dear friend," she said.

Jeff looked at her in surprise. "You've read the book already?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "Of course you have," he said. "Remind me again, why are we doing Shakespeare?"

"You need a literature credit to go with the language one you got for running the paper to meet your English requirement. And when you were told it was either Shakespeare or Emily Dickinson you went for the one that had been adapted into an action movie."

"Now I remember," Jeff said, smiling at a recent memory. "We really must try and finish the Branagh version soon."

"If you'd kept your hands to yourself the other night, we would have." Annie replied dryly.

"And if you'd kept still instead of - ah, here we are." They'd reached the library steps. "Are you ready to do this?"

Annie nodded. "As I'll ever be."

They walked through the doors and on to Study Room F, the door was open.

"Hi guys," Jeff said, squeezing Annie's hand as he did. He was greeted by a chorus of welcomes.

"I'm sorry for the lack of warning," he continued. "But I'd like to talk about adding Annie to the group."

XXXXXX

An awkward silence fell over the room in response to Jeff's statement, nobody seemed willing to break it. Jeff sighed and turned to Annie.

"Can you wait outside for a few minutes, babe? This shouldn't take long."

"Sure, Jeff." They hugged, Annie stepped outside and the door closed.

"What the hell, Jeff?" Britta cried out.

"Look, I really am sorry about the lack of warning, but I promised Annie we'd be together and that means I'd like her to be in the study group."

"You can't just decide that for all of us, Jeff!" Britta said. "We need to have a vote, at least."

"I appreciate that Britta, so let's vote."

"Oh no, Jeff – you don't get a vote. You're too close to this." The two of them were glaring daggers at each other by this point.

"I agree with Brittles." Pierce said.

"Uh-hmm." Shirley added, nodding vigorously.

"Sorry Jeff, but Britta's got a point." Abed added, with Troy nodding along.

"Fine, guys." Jeff stood up and started to go for the door. "But remember, I meant it when I told you I'd promised Annie we'd be together."

"Are you threatening to quit the group if we don't let your little friend in?" Britta sounded shocked.

Jeff had reached the door, but he turned around. "First of all, she's not 'my little friend' she's my girlfriend, and her name is Annie. I'd be grateful if you used it. And second, that's exactly what I mean." Jeff walked out of the room.

"Does anybody else have anything to say," Britta said somewhat bitterly. "Or am I being left alone as the bad guy here?"

XXXXXX

"Hi Jeff." Annie looked up with a smile. "That was quick."

"They threw me out." He smiled wryly. "Apparently I'm too involved to be allowed a say, or something."

He sat down on the sofa next to her. Annie shuffled up next to him and drew him into a hug. Jeff put his arm around her shoulders.

"So, what do you think is going on in there?" She said.

"Abed will be on our side, and even if he didn't like you – and he does – Troy will vote with Abed. Shirley on the other hand will probably be saying something self-righteous about Jezebels not being able to sleep their way into the study group-" Annie humphed at that "-and I think Pierce will probably relish the chance to poke me in the eye."

"Which leaves the girl we humiliated at the Tranny Dance with the swing vote." She looked up at Jeff. "we're out of here, aren't we?"

"So long as we're together everything will work out fine, don't worry." He squeezed her shoulders as if for emphasis.

"I love you, Jeff." She said, and stiffened suddenly with shock as she realised she'd said it out loud for the first time. She felt him stiffen suddenly – _oh no, please don't make him panic now_ \- she thought to herself.

Jeff did indeed feel a moment of terror, but rather than panic he sought refuge in memories of the last year -

_You seem to be good for each other somehow._

_You're allowed to tell her, you know - you will only hurt yourself if you don't._

_I like you Jeff. And I like Annie. And somehow - I've no idea how - you guys work together._

_There's a word for what you just described, you know._

He forced his muscles to relax, and in a voice almost too faint to hear said the thing Jeff Winger would never say, that he never believed in until he met this girl.

"I love you too, milady."

Annie looked up at him with suspiciously bright eyes and a broad smile, then snuggled up tight against his chest. Jeff gently kissed the top of her head as he felt his shirt go slightly damp.

XXXXXX

"Seriously guys? You're going to leave me with the casting vote?" The voting had gone as Jeff had predicted, and Britta was not happy.

"It's dramatic necessity, Britta." Abed said. "There always had to be a casting vote, and it always had to be you if the new season was to get off to a sufficiently dramatic start."

"Well, give me a moment at least." She got up from her seat.

"Sure, Britta."

She walked over to a window, where she had a clear view of Jeff and Annie on a sofa in the main part of the library. She was curled up in a tiny ball next to him with her arms wrapped around his torso and her head resting on his chest. He had his arm over her shoulders and she watched him press a gentle kiss into the top of her head and rest his head on hers.

 _Have you really found somebody you care about more than yourself, Jeff?_ Britta found herself thinking. She watched them for a moment longer, they barely moved, obviously comfortable with the intimacy. _You really do love her, don't you?_ The thought hit Britta with the force of the blindingly obvious. _I can't do this. I just can't._

"Abed, let's tell them they can stay. Both of them."

"Brit-ta!" Shirley sounded outraged. "How can you, after she took –"

"Shirley, come over here and look at this."

Britta didn't look away, but the combination of the noise of furniture moving and Shirley grumbling was enough to make it clear the other woman was on her way.

"Oh." Shirley said as she came alongside Britta. Followed by "Awww…" Britta turned to face her, the other woman's face had melted into a soft smile.

"I really think he likes her, Shirley." Britta said. "I've never seen him like that with anyone else."

Shirley nodded. "Abed, I've changed my mind." She said. "Let's give the girl a chance."

"What about you, Pierce?" Britta said, the rest of the group had joined Shirley and her at the window. "Can we tell them it was unanimous?"

"Whatever." He grumbled. "This group needs at least one chick in it who isn't past her best."

"Pierce!"

"Hey – I'm only saying what everybody's thinking. That has value."

"Do you want to give them the news, Britta?" Shirley said.

XXXXXX

Annie sat upright as the door to the study room opened and Britta walked out, followed by the rest. "Annie," Britta said. "We took a vote, and it was unanimous - we'd love to have you in our study group."

Annie yelped with surprise and jumped to her feet. "Thanks guys!" She ran over and enveloped Britta in a hug, which the blonde somewhat hesitantly returned. The rest of the group joined in with a group hug. As they separated, Shirley looped her arm through Annie's.

"Come and sit in the empty seat next to me, dear." She said with a warm but slightly scary smile on her face. Annie looked over to Jeff, who just smiled and nodded. The rest of the group followed them except for Britta who dropped back.

Jeff walked over to her.

"Thanks, Britta." He said. "You really are a damn fine friend."

"Don't you forget it, mister." She said with a broad smile on her face. "Now lets get in there - your girlfriend had better be as good at studying as you've been telling us for the last year." Like the old friends they were, they instinctively fell into step with each other as they walked into the study room together. Jeff looked across to where Annie was sitting next to Shirley, already looking radiantly happy as she engaged the rest of the group in lively conversation.

_This is going to work out okay._ Jeff thought to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for the main storyline folks. This has been a story of Annie outside the study group, and now that she has joined it it seems right to draw it to a close here. I have one more post planned, an epilogue giving a high level overview of the rest of their time at Greendale and beyond and then that really will be it. Thanks for reading.


	22. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really it, the end of "And Everything Goes Back To The Beginning". Thanks again to everybody who's stayed with it this far but there'll be no more to this story after this. Any further stories that may be set in this AU (and I have a couple of ideas) will be posted separately.

Happily ever afters only happen in fairytales. In the real world, people fight and make up, hurt and try to heal each other, and sometimes they will fight so hard and hurt so much that they will not be able to find their way back to each other though, if they are very lucky, they may have loved ones who can do that for them. Such it was for Annie Edison and Jeff Winger, and the one they loved who kept them together most of all was Shirley Bennett. For Shirley, after making her initial disapproval at their unorthodox lifestyle and living arrangements very clear, took a conscious decision to reserve her more judgemental remarks for Jeff and dedicated herself to ensuring that that fragile, somewhat frightened young girl with no family of her own save what she had found for herself got all the love and support that Shirley's large heart could offer. When the two of them fell pregnant halfway through the semester in circumstances neither could fully recall around the time of the Halloween party, she chose to see it as a sign that the Lord was looking after them and wanted them to support each other.

After Jeff and Annie started their sophomore year at Greendale, the rows became more frequent - often provoked by Annie's frustration at Jeff's casual attitude to schoolwork - and though Jeff gradually learned that doing his work without complaint was less painful than rowing with Annie (and the glow of pride and hugs he got when he got a B or better was better than either) it didn't save them from a particularly brutal row that blew up about a month before Annie was due to give birth. When Annie fled the apartment, it was Shirley's house she ran to in a flood of tears. It was Shirley who gave her a hot chocolate and sent Jeff a blunt message -

_**Jeffrey, get over here and talk to this poor girl RIGHT NOW. If you don't I will visit the wrath of God on your unrighteous ass. DO NOT test me on this, boy.** _

It was Shirley who opened the door when Jeff knocked on it twenty minutes later, it was Shirley who gave him one piece of advice - "my old momma always said that, whatever else happens, never go to sleep angry" - then showed him into the living room where Annie was crying. It was Shirley who closed the door on them to give them privacy, and it was Shirley who looked in again the following morning to see Annie fast asleep nestled against Jeff's side with his arm around her shoulders, Jeff sitting there awake and haggard and afraid to move lest he woke her up. "Thank you," Jeff mouthed silently when he saw her looking at them.

Plans for summer for the Study Group that year were somewhat tentative, conditioned as everything was by Annie's imminent confinement (Shirley had given birth twelve weeks early during an action packed Anthropology final). As it was, Jessica Marie entered the world in the early hours of Independence Day (for the first eight years of her life her father would tell her that all the flags and decorations that went up around town at that time of year were in her honour, and for the first six she believed him). Pausing only to scold Jeff for the mildly irreverent tone of his text message announcing it ( _"When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one person to sever the cord which has connected her with another..."_ ) Shirley loaded an emergency supply of baked goods into the back of her car and was the first to reach the happy family. The holiday for the Study Group was spent on a recovery ward in the maternity wing of Greendale General - presents were brought in, silly games were played, and the caretaker staff on duty over the holiday driven to distraction.

When Annie and Jessica came home, peace and contentment finally became the rule in the Edison-Winger household as Jeff learned the lesson that whereas disappointing Annie was bad enough, the thought of disappointing Jessica was unbearable. (Pierce, who had come to dote on the group's newest member and shed a tear when Annie rather timidly mentioned to him that Jessica Marie needed a grandfather, once took Jeff aside and gave him a sternly patriarchal lecture. "There's more to being a man than just being a stud like me, you know. _Your_ worth as a man is going to be measured now by how you treat the women who depend on you. Are you up to it, boy?")

When Annie went back to school for Fall semester she changed her major from Health Care Administration to Business Administration, not least so she and Shirley could do as many courses together as possible. When Mother's Day came around the next year, Shirley was surprised by a knock on the door before she left for Church. Standing there was a delivery man, who handed over a large bunch of flowers and a greeting card. Shirley thanked him, went inside and opened the card. When she saw the message inside -

_ I never knew how wonderful a mother's love could be until you shared yours with me. Thank you so much for everything. _

_Your daughter,_

_Annie Edison_

\- she dissolved in a flood of tears, which she blamed on stress. However, she put the card in her Box of Important Things which she kept at the back of her wardrobe and kept it for the rest of her life.

When the Greendale Seven graduated a year later, Jeffrey finally went down on one knee outside the library and proposed to Annie. She jumped in the air with delight and cried as she said yes.

"About time you finally made an honest woman out of this poor girl, Jeffrey." Shirley said, though her stern tone was belied by the huge smile on her face and her squeal of delight when Annie showed her the ring.

During the last semester, Jeff had spent much of his free time looking for jobs after he graduated and formed a realistic expectation of just how unlikely it was that a formerly disbarred lawyer with a Greendale degree would get a job with a serious law firm, so he hung up his slate on an old store front and went into business under his own name. Annie put her own qualification to use by coming to work for him as his office manager, and the combination of her discipline and organisational skills and his charisma and courtroom skills got them through a rough first year and slowly saw them build up a stable of reliable clients.

They got married that September, everybody agreed that Jessica was a delightful flower girl and, much to her horror, the bouquet was caught by Britta Perry. They did not have a honeymoon as they couldn't afford to take time away from the business. Pierce died only a month afterwards, and his will split his fortune evenly between the son of his heart and the granddaughter of his heart. Typically, he put odd conditions on both legacies - Troy had to sail around the world for his, and Jessica's was put in a trust fund with her mother as sole trustee and a condition on it that the money was not to be touched until she reached her 18th birthday or her father finally admitted he was gay, whichever came first. Seven million dollars was enough money that Jeff actually pretended to consider making such an announcement, but Annie pinched him in the side and told him not to be so absurd.

That Thanksgiving the Wingers (Annie had dropped the Edison when she got married) announced that Annie was pregnant again, and Edward Pierce Winger joined the family in May the following year. As much to his own surprise as anybody else's, the choice of names had been Jeff's.

Five years after Edward's birth, Jeff accepted a merger offer from an established law firm - ironically one of the firms that said he'd never work again when he'd been job hunting - which ensured the financial security of the Winger family, gave Jeff the partnership that had always been his ambition and allowed Annie to finally resign from her role with the firm.

Annie instead devoted herself to the charitable work that had always been one of her first loves, until after another couple of years she was invited by certain citizen's groups to run for mayor of Greendale. Jeff, who had never quite got over the feeling that Annie had sacrificed her own ambitions to support his, enthusiastically urged her to go for it. After two successful and popular terms as mayor and standing down due to term limits, Annie was persuaded (though in truth she needed little persuasion) to run for Governor of Colorado, becoming the first woman to hold that office. After two terms, and once again standing down due to term limits, Annie briefly considered a run for the presidency. Despite Jeff's willing support - he had always said he believed she could do the job - she decided in the end not to run and instead returned to charitable work using the connections she'd built up to support her work. And if that work focussed mostly on assisting homeless teenagers find accommodation and education and where necessary treatment for addiction issues, nobody criticised her and those of her friends and family who remembered Annie Adderall and the young woman she became would have a moment of respectful understanding and quietly rally round when the ghosts of her past got too burdensome.

XXXXXX

Happily ever afters only happen in fairytales. In the real world people are broken, and do not have the luxury of knowing what plan there is in store for them and they have to find their own healing. But sometimes, if you take two people who are broken in different ways and bind them together tightly enough they will form one thing that is whole, and stronger than either part of the source material. Such it was for the couple at the heart of our story, and thus it was one fine summer's day almost twenty five years after first meeting Annie Edison, that Jeff Winger - still tall, slim and rakishly good looking despite being only a few years shy of his 60th birthday - could be found in a particularly sharp suit walking Jessica Marie down the aisle of Greendale Baptist Church. He looked ahead of him, and saw the expression of awed wonder on Ben Bennett's face as he saw his bride approach. He risked a quick glance at Annie, her face glowing with joy and pride, and then back at Ben.

_You think you're the luckiest man here, and that's right and proper. But you're not. I am._

THE END - thanks for reading.


End file.
